Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
This invention relates to copy finishers for assembling
copies into booklets, for stapling the booklets, lf desired, and
for stacking the booklets in a straight or offset manner in an
output tray.
Description of the Prior Art
Copy processing devices, such as copy finishers, for
processing copies made by reproduction apparatus are known in the
art. Thus, U.S. Patent 3,630,607 discloses a xerographic
reproducing machine including document handling apparatus which
recirculates a set of originals to an exposure platen of a
xerographic copier, a copier for producing a series of copies
corresponding to the set of originals and a copy finisher for
- assembling the copies into sets in an intermediate tray assembly,
for offsetting alternate sets wherein by means of a set separation
assembly and for e~ecting the sets into an output tray where
they are stacked in staggered, i.e., offset, manner. U.S.
20 Patents 3,671,094; 3,682,328j 3,685,712; 3,690,537 and
3,709,595 disclose a xerographic processor including a
recirculating document feeder, a xerographic copier and a copy
finisher which functions either to assemble copies into
booklets for stapling in an intermediate tray assembly before
straight stacking the stapled booklets in an output tray
or to offset stack copy sets in the output tray by causing
individual copies to bypass the intermediate tray assembly and
to be individually offset stacked in sets in the output tray
by means of a paddle wheel assembly. U.S. Patents 3,902,709 and
3,908,978 disclose binless sorters used with xerographic
copiers which produce uncollated copies, the sorters having
output trays which may be reciprocated in order to offset stack
copy sets produced by the sorter. U.S. Patent No. 3,946,879
discloses a device for stacking bundles of paper crosswise in
an output hopper.
Although the various copy processing devices
disclosed in the aforementioned patents may have been
appropriate for their intended uses, certain deficiencies
thereof may be noted. Where copies are assembled in an
intermediate tray before offset stacking, such as is disclosed
in U.S. Patent 3,630,607, no provision is made for situations
where the number of copies to be offset stacked in the output
tray is greater than the copy assembling limit of the
intermediate tray. Such assembling capacity thus limits the
usefulness of such copy finisher when it would be desirable
to offset stack larger sets of copies. In addition, if
a malfunction, such as a paper jam, should occur in the copier
in con~unction with which the copy finisher is operating,
it would be desirable to be able to identify the copy set
in progress in the finisher output tray since such set may
be either incomplete or include mangled sheets. None of the
aforementioned patents disclose such capability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In general, according to an aspect of the present
invention, a copy finisher is provided for assembling into
booklets in an intermediate station, copies constituting
a set produced by a copier, for offset stacking the booklets
at an output station and, if the number of copies in a copy
set produced by the copier exceeds the copy assembling limit
of the intermediate station, for assembling the copies of the
set into subbooklets of copies equal to or less than the copy
limit of the intermediate station and for stacking all of the
subbooklets of a copy set at the same location at the output
station. According to another aspect of the invention, if a
malfunction, such as a paper ~am, occurs in the copier to
shut it down, the copy finisher will assemble the copies in
process in the finisher into a booklet and offset stack the
booklet at the output station.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the detailed description of the preferred
embodiment of the invention presented below, reference is
made to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a recirculating feeder,
electrographic copier and copy finisher;
Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the feeder, copier
and finisher of Fig. l;
Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing
the assembly for movably mounting the upper rollers of the
upper paper path in the finisher of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing the
paper turnaround assembly of the finisher of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 5a and 5b are diagrammatic perspective and
elevational views, respectively, showing the collection
hopper and ~ogging assemblies of the finisher of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing
the staple sensing assembly of the finisher of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing
the stapler of the finisher of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic elevational view showing the
offset stacking assembly of the finisher of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 9 and 10 are front and side diagrammatic
elevational views, respectively, showing the transport arm
and output tote tray assemblies of the finisher of Figs. 1 and 2.
Fig. 11 is a block diagram of the logic and control
unit shown in Fig. 2;
Fig. 12 is a flow chart of the sequence of operation of
the finisher of Fig. 2 when a malfunction occurs in the feeder
or copier; and
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Fig. 13 is a flow chart of the sequence of operation
of the finisher of Fig. 2 when it operates in the subbooklet
mode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A
PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In order to assist in an understanding of the
present invention, the operation of a feeder, an electrographic
copier and copy finisher in which the invention may be used
will be briefly described. It is to be understood, however,
that the present invention could be used with equal facility
and advantage in other copy finishers or copy processing
devices and, therefore, that the following description of
apparatus related to but not forming part of the invention
is provided for illustrative purposes only.
Referring now to Figure 1, there is shown electro-
graphic copier 10, finisher 12 and recirculating document
feeder 14 mounted over the document platen of copier 10.
A first control panel 18 including control switches and
displays is located on copier 10 for providing control of the
operation of copier 10 and a second control panel 20 including
control switches and displays is provided on feeder 14 for
control of the operation of feeder 14 and finisher 12.
Referring now to Figure 2, there is schematically
illustrated copier 10, finisher 12 and recirculating document
feeder 14. The function of feeder 14 is to present a stack
of originals one at a time to the exposure platen of copier
10 and to return the originals to the top of the stack. The
feeder may be operated in either a collate or non-collate mode.
In either mode a stack of originals 22 are placed into
receiving tray 24 with the originals face up. Originals are
serially interchanged on the exposure platen 26 of copier
10 in reverse sequential order so that the copy output of
copier 10 to finisher 12 is also in reverse sequential order
(e.g. pages 5, 4, 3, 2, 1; 5, 4, 3, 2, I; etc.).
In the non-collate mode, the copies per Driginal
entered into control panel 18 of apparatus 10 are made
and the original is returned to the top of the stack of
originals after the requested exposures per original is completed.
In the collate mode, one copy per original for each original
in the stack is made in reverse sequential order and each
original is returned to the top of the stack after one exposure.
The stack of originals is recirculated to the exposure
platen until the number of sets requested are made.
- Electrographic copier 10 may be any suitable
copier well known to those skilled in the art. An illustrative
copier is shown and described in commonly-assigned U.S.
Patent 3,876,106, issued April 8, 1975. As shown in Figure 2,
copier 10 includes exposure platen 26, flash lamps 27, lens 28,
photoconductive web 29 (which is relatively transparent and
which is moved continuously in a clockwise dlrection as shown
in Figure 2), charging station 30, exposure station 32;
20 magnetic brush development station 34, post development erase
station 36, transfer station 38, copy sheet supplies 40 and 42,
~using station 44 and output tray 46.
In operation, an original 22 positioned on
platen 26 is illuminated by radiation from flash lamps 27.
Such radiation is reflected from original 22 and pro~ected
by lens 28 and mirrors 48 and 50 onto photoconductive web
29 to form an electrostatic latent image thereon
corresponding to the information contained on original 22.
At development station 34, the moving electrostatic image
is contacted by toner particles which adhere by electrostatic
attraction to the charged portions of the electrostatic image
to develop and render it visible.
~37~
At post development erase station 36, a lamp
illuminates the photoconductive layer of web 29 to facilitate
subsequent toner image transfer and to reduce photoconductor
fatigue.
Transfer station 38 causes toner particles to be
transferred in an imagewise configuration to a receiving
surface of a copy sheet of paper which is transported in
synchronism with the developed image from a selected one of
supplies 40 and 42. When the copy sheet reaches the position
on web 29 ~ust above roller 52, web 29 bends sharply around
the roller and the copy sheet continues in an essentially
straight-line path to separate from web 29 and move to fusing
station 44 where the toner image is heated and fused to the
copy sheet to provide a substantially permanent copy. The
copy sheet is then either transported into output tray 46 or
to finisher 12.
Cleaning station 54 is provided so that residual toner
may be removed from the photoconductive layer of web 29 prior
to charging at charging station 30.
General Description of Finisher 12
Finisher 12 is capable of functioning in several
modes of operation. If feeder 14 and apparatus 10 are
programmed to produce a non-collated set of copies the copies
are assembled into booklets in an intermediate station or tray
in finisher 12 and may be stacked in either a straight or
offset manner in the finisher output station tote tray. If
feeder 14 and apparatus 10 are programmed to produce a collated
set of copies corresponding to a set of orginal documents, the
copies are assembled into a set in the intermediate station in
finisher 12, stapled together with one or two staples, if desired,
- and stacked in either a straight or offset manner in the
finisher output tote tray.
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Finisher 12 may be a separate unit from
copier 10 and in such case is mounted on caster wheels (not
shown) which are adjustable to bring copier 10 and finisher 12
into orthogonal relationship so that the exit path of copier 10
is in alignment wlth the input path of finisher 12.
Copies emerging from copier 10 are transported
along an upper path by three sets of drive rollers 58 and
idler rollers 60, the speeds of the roller pairs 58, 60
being graduated to accelerate the copies to a faster and faster
velocity. At the extreme right end of the upper path the
copies are deflected around a corner by guide 62, and turn-
around rollers 64, until the copy arrives at the nip of
rollers 66, 68.
Since it will be desirable to provide as much
time as possible for the stapling and/or stacking operations
that follow, a momentary interruption to the flow of copies
is provided by applying a brake (not shown) to rollers 66, 68
so that the first two copies of a set are assembled at the nip.
The stapling and stacking operations of the
20 preceding set are timed to be completed soon after the second
copy arrives at rollers 66, 68 and subsequently, the brake
on drive rollers 66, 68 is releaBed and both copies are propelled
into intermediate copy assembling station, including tray 70.
Copy assembling tray 70 is inclined to the horizontal
so that delivered copies tend to lie flat on top of each other
assisting in reducing the natural curl of the copies created by
the fusing operation in copier 10. As copies are transported
into tray 70 by rollers 66, 68, they pass over eccentric ~ogger
72 which is continuously rotated by a pulley and a belt (not
shown). As the copies settle into tray 70, they are repeatedly
struck against the trailing edge by eccentric ~ogger 72 and are
urged against gate 7~. In addition, the copies are urged
against a side guide (not shown) by a second similar eccentric
side jogger 76. All copies are urged thereby towards the front
lower corner of tray 70.
Mounted above hopper 70, is a stapler 78 and wire
spool 80. The stapler is actuated by a pressure bar 79 (Fig. 7)
which is translated in response to timed commands to depress
the ram of stapler 78, forcing a piece of wire from spool 80
to be cut to proper length, preformed, and driven through the
booklet. At the completion of the drive stroke, clincher
assembly 82, is actuated to bend the protruding ends of the
wlre staple flat against the back side of the booklet.-
At the completion of the stapling operation,a movable jaw 84, actuated by pneumatic cylinder 86 is caused
to grip the booklet (whether stapled or not) in cooperation
with fixed jaw 88. When the booklet is gripped, gate 74
is lowered by means of a pneumatic cylinder 90 out of the path
of the booklet.
Swinging arm 92, which mounts jaws 84, 88 and
cylinder 86, is caused to rotate about pivot shaft 94 by
means of a pneumatic cylinder 96 and to draw the booklet
out of the hopper 70. Gate 74 is then returned to its sheet
blocking position after the booklet has cleared gate 74.
Swinging arm 92 transports the booklet in a curved
path to an output station 97 where the combined action of
stripping fingers 98, release of jaw 84 and the tamping of
tamper 100 actuated by pneumatic cylinder 99 cause the booklet
to be stacked on top of tote tray 102.
As a booklet is being stripped into tray 102, gate
74 closes for acceptance of the first two sheets of the next
booklet that were delayed at the nip of rollers 66, 68. Once
a booklet has been stripped from gripper jaws 84, 88 the
direction of transport arm 92 ls reversed and arm 92 returns to
the hopper.
Referring to Figures 8-10, there is shown in greater
detail output station 97 and the offset stacking assembly of
finisher 12. As shown, in the offset stacking mode,
booklets 126 are stacked on tray 102 positioned at output station
97 in first and second locations offset with respect to eachother.
Offset stacking is effected by moving transport arm 92
forwardly a predetermined distance on shaft 94 (Fig. 8)
for every other booklet transported from tray 70 to tray 102
by actuation of pneumatic cylinder 130 linked to
arm 22 by linkage 131. As arm 92 is returned to collection
tray 70, cylinder 130 will move arm 92 back to its rearward
position so that the next booklet will be stacked rearwardly
of the previous booklet. This provides offset stacking of
alternate booklets.
Tote tray 102 accepts the booklet as it is stripped
from the gripper ~aws 84, 88 on the transport arm 92. The
booklets are stacked on top of each other in a vertical
fashion. Tote tray 102 has upstanding end and side walls
and is removable from finisher 12. Trays 102 are of one -^
piece molded construction and are stackable. Tray 102 is
dimensioned to accommodate the longest copy sheet
which has been stacked in offset manner.
The platform 104 (Fig. 9) which tray 102 rests
on is mounted on slides 138 perpendicular to the front
opening of finisher 12 such that at the completion of a job,
the operator slides tray 102 with stacked booklets out of
finisher 12, lifts tray 102 from platform 104 and carries it
away. Slides 138 are mounted on elevator 140 which is
cantilevered out from two guide rods 132 and connected to chains
134 driven by reversible motor 136 which drives elevator 140
and tote tray 102 up and down. The height of the
--10--
stack of booklets is controlled by a photooptic system (not
shown) which constantly monitors the height of the stack
to lower the platform 104 to maintain the top of the stack of
copies at a desired level which is just below the path of
the swinging arm 92.
In order to provide access to the upper paper transport
path an~ to the stapler~idler rollers 60 are mounted on a
cover frame 110 which swings up and which is counterbalanced
by constant force springs 112 (Figure 3).
Interruption of the first two copies of a set by
rollers 66, 68 is shown more clearly in Figure 4 which shows
the first two copies of a five page set. The first copy to
be delivered by electrographic copier 10 is the last
page of the set (page 5 in this example). It is stopped
by the nip of rollers 66, 68 by applying a brake
(not shown) to rollers 66, 68. As page 5 arrives at the
nip, its trailing edge is propelled, urged by sponge like
turn around roller 64 so as to hug the curvature of guide
62. Page 5, thereby, acts as a guide for the next copy, page
4, which is also urged into the nip of rollers 66, 68 by roller
64. After page 4 has arrived at the nip of rollers 66, 68 the
previous stapling and/or booklet transport operations
will have been substantially completed and rollers 66, 68 are
driven to feed sheets 4 and 5 into hopper 70.
Figures 5A and 5B show in greater detail the structure
of tray 70. As shown, tray 70 includes an inclined bottom wall
71 and ad~ustable side guide 75. A pair of flexible strips 114
and 116 are suspended above bottom wall 71 and assist in holding
copies flat. Rear jogger 72 and side ~ogger 76 are shown as
curved spring elements which are rotatably mounted so that an
eccentric motion is effected thereby to urge copies into
registration in the corner formed by side guide 75 and gate 74
To accommodate different paper sizes, side guide
--11--
~7i5 {;P~
75, and side ~ogger 76 are mounted on sliding guides (not
shown) and are driven in coordination by a left/right lead
screw attached to knob 118. Ad~ustment is possible over the
entire range of paper sizes which may be used in copier 10
and finisher 12. Detents are provided at six paper size
positions of 8.27 x 11.7, 8 1/2 x 14, 8 1/2 x 13, 8 1/2 x 11,
8 x 10 1/2 and 8 x 10. Gate 74 is also movable (Figure 5B) and
is translated in coordination with the side guide 75, so that
for paper sizes of 8 x 10 1/2 and 8 x 10, the trailing edge
of the coples will always bear a fixed relationship to side
~ogger 76, and the position of stapler 78. Under the lead
screw shaft are sets of switches which inform the logic and
control unit 150 of apparatus 10 in which position the hopper
guides are. A warning display will appear on feed control
panel 20 if there is a mismatch between the finisher hopper guides
and the copier paper supply guides.
After stapler 78 has driven a staple through a copy ``
booklet, clinchers 120 and 122 (Figure 6) of clincher assembly
82 are actuated to enlench staple 124 to booklet 126. In
addition, clinchers 120, 122 are electrically isolated from the
machine frame so that a sensing signal may be applied to
clinchers 120, 122 to detect whether the electrically conductive
wire staple did in fact penetrate the booklet. In
case of loss of wire feed, improper wire cut length, or
deformation of the wire during the driving stroke, a failure of
continuity in either test circuit will cause a display to be
actuated on panel 20 through finisher control 152 and copier
logic and control unit 150.
Control of Finisher, Copier and Feeder
The operation of finisher 12 is synchronized with the
operation of copier 10 and feeder 14 by means of a logic and
control unit (LCU) 150 located in copier 10 and finisher
- 12 -
control 152 located in finisher 12. To coordinate operation
of the various work stations 30, 32, 34, 36, 38 and 54 of
copier 10 with movement of the image areas on the web 29
past these stations, the web has a plurality of perforations
(not shown) along one of its edges. At a fixed location
along the path of web movement, there is provided suitable
means 31 for sensing web perforations. ThiS;sensing generates
input signals into a LCU 150 having a digital computer. The
digital computer has a stored program responsive to the input
signals for sequentially actuating then de-actuating the work
stations as well as for controlling the operation of many
other machine functions as disclosed in United States Patent
Number 3,914, o47. As will be described in greater detail
later, feeder 14 and finisher 12 are also controlled by LCU 150.
Logic and Control Unit 150
Programming of a number of commercially available
minicomputers or microprocessors, such as an INTEL model
8008 or model 8080 microprocessor (which along with others can
be used in accordance with the invention), is a conventional
20 skill well understood in the art. The following disclosure is
written to enable a programmer having ordinary skill in the
,~ art to produce an appropriate program for the computer. The
- particular details of any such program would, of course,
depend upon the architecture of the selected computer.
Turning now to Fig. 11, a block diagram of a typical
logic and control unit (LCU) 150 is shown which interfaces
with the copier 10 feeder 14 and control 152 of finisher 12.
The LCU 150 consists of temporary data storage memory 332,
- central processing unit 333, timing and cycle control unit 334,
and stored program control 336. Data input and output is
performed sequentially under program control. Input data
is applied either through input signal buffer 340 to a
- 13 -
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multlplexer 342 or to signal processor 344 from perforations
detected on the web 29. The input signals are derived from
various switches, sensors, and analog-to-digital converters
in copier 10, feeder 14 and finisher 12, from control panels
18 and 20 and from finisher control 152. The output data and
control signals are applied to storage latches 346 which
provide inputs to suitable output drivers 348 which are
directly coupled to leads which, in turn, are connected to the
work stations and to finisher control 152. More specifically,
the output signals from the LCU 150 are logic level digital
signals which are buffered and amplified to provide drive
signals to various clutches, brakes, solenoids, power switches,
in the various work stations of copier 10, feeder 14 and
finisher 12 through control 152, and to displays in control
~ panels 20 and 18.
`~ The LCU 150 processing functions can be programmed
by changing the instructions stored in the computer memory.
The time sequence of machine control signals (often
referred to in the art as events) is critical to the copy cycle
because the copier, feeder and finisher stations and
associated mechanisms must be powered ON and OFF in the correct
sequence to assure high quality copying and to prevent paper
` misfeeds, misregistration, and erratic operation. One way of
controlling the time sequence of events and their relationship
to each other is, as noted above, to sense perforations which
correspond to the location of the image elements on the web 29
as these elements continue through the cycle of the copier's
endless path. Thus, the detection of perforations by a sensor
31 is applied to the LCU 150 through the interrupt signal
processor 344 (see Fig. 11) and is used to synchronize the
various control mechanisms with the location of the image elements.
-14-
3$~
These perforations generally are spaced equidistant along the
edge of the web member 29. For example, the web member 29
may be divided into six image areas by F perforations; and
each image area may be subdivided into 51 sections by C
perforations. These F and C perforations (not shown) are
described in U.S. Patent No. 3,914,047.
Returning now to the computer, the program is located
in stored program control 336 which may be provided by a con-
ventional Read Only Memory (ROM). The ROM contains the
operational program in the form of instructions and fixed
binary numbers corresponding to numeric constants. These
programs are permanently stored in the ROM(s) and cannot be
altered by the computer operation.
Typically, the ROM is programmed at the manufacturer's
facility, and the instructions programmed provide the required
control functions such as: sequential control, ~am recovery,
operator observable logic, machine timing, booklet offsetting
and subbookletting. For a specific example, the total ROM
capacity may be approximately 2,000 bytes with each byte being
8 bits in length. The program may require more than one ROM.
- 20 The temporary storage memory 332 may be conveniently
provided by a conventional Read/Write Memory. Read/Write
Memory or Random Access Memory (RAM) differs from ROM in two
distinct characteristics:
1. Stored data is destroyed by removal of power; and
2. The stored data is easily altered by writing
new data into memory.
For specific example, the RAM capacity may be 256
bytes; each byte eight bits in length. Data, such as:
copy requested count, copies processed count, and copies de-
livered count at the exit as indicated by the switch 214,
are stored in the RAM until successful completion of a copy
-15-
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cycle. The RAM is also used to store data being operated on
by the computer and to store the results of computer
calculations.
Sensors210, 212, 214 and 216 spaced along the copy path
of copier 10 and sensor218 along the document path of feeder
14 provide inputs along leads220, 222, 224, 226 and 228
respectively to LCU 150 to indicate copy sheet ~am conditions
which may necessitate shutdown of copier 10 and feeder 14 in
order to prevent damage to the various components thereof.
Control of Finisher
The operation cycle of copier 10 is selected and
initiated by actuation of switches on electrographic apparatus
control panel 18. The operator selects the desired mode
of operation such as one sided of two sided copying side
or top exit of copies from copier 10 and enters the number of
copies of each original or number of sets to be made. This
information is then stored in the temporary storage memory
- of LCU 150. The finisher modes of operation are selected
by actuation of switches on feeder control panel 20. These
modes are collate or non-collate copies, stapled or not stapled
~` booklets, and straight or offset stack of booklets in the
output tray.
As will be explained in detail later, when finisher
12 is operating in the offset stacking mode, if the number of
copies produced by copier 10 exceeds the limit of copies which
can be handled in the collection tray 70 of finisher 12,
according to the present invention, the finisher will operate in
the subbooklet mode and subbooklets of copies equal or less
than the copy limit will be assembled in the collection tray
70 of the finisher 12 and the subbooklets will be transported
to the same location in the output tote tray 102 so that all
the copies of a booklet will be offset to the same location
-16-
~1~7l~
to form a single identifiable booklet.
As will also be explained in detail later, according
to another aspect of the lnvention,if a paper jam should occur
in copier 10 or feeder 14 so that an improperly formed
booklet (such as with insufficient pages) is produced,
copier 10 and feeder 14 will be shut down by LCU 150 until
the ~am is cleared and the copies in process in finisher 12
will be offset stacked in output tote tray 102 in order
to indicate to the operator the improperly formed booklet
to be removed from the stack.
The operator is required to position each selected
stapler 78 to the desired detent position. An operator
selector switch (not shown) is provided to allow the operator
to select the front, back or both staplers 78. The selected
stapler 78 must be ad~usted to a detent position compatible
for the paper being used in the selected copier paper supply
40, 42. The operator is also required to position the ~ogger
guides (not shown) supporting guide 74 and ~ogger 76 to the
corresponding detent position selected on the selected copier
paper supply. Paper length compatibility monitoring and
display will be discussed later.
The operator selectable control modes are not monitored
by LCU 150 during a copy run and can be changed by stopping
the copy run by depressing STOP switch (not shown) on the
copier control panel 18.
If a finisher ~ob is completed and a non-finisher
~ob is to be run on copier 10; the last selected finisher/
feeder modes are stored in the LCU 150 and re-selected when
finisher operation is requested.
After the feeder and finisher modes are selected and
desired sets or copies are entered on the copier control panel
18,the finisher tote tray 102 will rise to interrupt the tote
7~ ~
up sensor 163 and lower a predetermined amount under control
of LCU 150 and finisher control 152 when the start
button on panel 18 is depressed.
The finisher transport motor and compressor turn on a
short delay after copier 10 start-up to prevent finisher 12
AC loads from being applied during copier start-up.
The copies that exit from copier lO into the
finisher transport assembly pass the Delivered to Nip Sensor 160,
rollers 66, 68 and the Delivered to Gate Sensor 162 as they
enter into tray 70 where they are jogged on the side and top
to square the copy set. The first two sheets of each set
are stopped at the nip rollers 66, 68 to allow time for
stapling and transport of the preceding set from tray 70. The
first two sheets of each set are driven into tray 70 together
and the rest of the set is delivered to tray 70 without being
stopped.
After the last sheet of the set has been delivered to
tray 70, as determined in the collate mode by LCU 150 using the
Feeder Set Count Signal from sensor 164 in feeder 14 or in the
- 20 non-collate mode, by the copies requested on the copier
control panel 18, the staple command is given (if selected)
and the staplers 78 are driven down by a cross bar 79 (Fig. 7) .
Wire is indexed, before stapling, into the selected stapler
78 by the wire feed cylinders (not shown). The operator
selector switch determines which stapler/staplers are fed wire
by LCU 150 command.
After the staple/staples have been driven into the copy
set and clinched, the gate 74 is opened and the gripped set
is transported to the tote tray 102 and stacked. While the
transport arm 92 is traveling away from gate 74, if offset
mode is selected on feeder control panel 20,LCU 150 gives an
enable command to finisher control 152 to cause transport arm
- 18 -
92 to be driven toward the front of the finisher 12 to provide
offset stacking. As arm 92 continues to move away from gate
74, a series of switches (not shown) are actuated to initiate
closing of gate 74 to allow collection of a subsequent set of
copies into a booklet in tray 70, opening of ~aw 84 to allow
the gripped booklet to be stacked on tray 102, tamping of the
booklet by tamper 100 and return of arm 92 to the gate area
for start of another transport cycle.
The LCU 150 monitors the tote up sensor 163 and
will command the tote tray elevator 140 down ~ predetermined
amount each time tote up sensor 163 is blocked.
The tote tray elevator 140 is commanded down to a
level for optimum accessibility at the completion of each ~ob
or when a finisher ~am occurs as determined by monitoring of
sensors 160 and 162 by finisher control 152.
LCU 150 and finisher control 152 will override the
.
staple mode when the set size in tray 70 exceeds the stapling
capability of finisher 12 and cause these sets to be stacked
unstapled in tray 102. In such case an assistance code will
be displayed on copier control panel 18 to inform the operator
and the copier/feeder/finisher system will shut down at the
completion of the unstapled set.
The number of stapled sets stacked on the tote tray
102 is monitored by LCU 150 and when the number of stapled sets
exceeds a programmable limit, based on optimum stacking of
stapled sets on the tote tray 102, the copier/feeder/finisher
system will complete the set in process and shut down. A
"Finisher Full" display will be displayed on feeder control
panel 20 to notify the operator that the tote tray 102 should
be emptied. "Finisher Full" will also be displayed when tray
102 reaches a tote down limit switch (not shown).
--19--
7~
Sets are monitored by LCU 150 and control 152 for
proper staples by monitorlng for a ground signal from each
staple leg as the staple is clinched (Fig. 6). If a ground
signal is received from one staple leg 124 and a ground signal
is received from the other staple leg 124 at the same time
a signal will be generated by finisher control 152 and sent
to LCU 150 to signal that the staple had properly driven
through the set and clinched. The clincher fingers 120, 122
` for each detent location for both staplers 78 are monitored
to determine if proper stapling had taken place for the
selected stapler/staplers. A "Staple Missing" display will be
displayed on copier control panel 18 if improper stapling
occurs. If improper stapling occurs twice in succession the
copier/feeder/finisher system will complete the set in
process, shut down, and actuate the "Staples Missing" display.
Jam Condition in Copier on Feeder
As discussed earlier, LCU 150 monitors the flow of
copies in copier 10 by means of sensors 210, 212, 214 and 216,
and the flow of documents in feeder 14 by means of sensor 218
to determine if a ~am has occured in feeder 14 or copier 10.
Sensors 210-218 may be of any well known kind capable of
sensing the presence of a sheet of material, and may, for
example, be electromechanical, such as microswitches, photo-
optic, such as LED/phototransistor combinations, pneumatic or
magnetic. A paper ~am will cause immediate shutdown of copier
10 and feeder 14.
In the copying mode of copier 10, the flow of paper under
nominal conditions from the supply bins 40 or 42 to the exits
is predictable. The time between initiation of paper feed and
arrival of paper at any of the paper sensors 210, 212, 214/
216, can be expressed in terms of film perforation signals.
The fllm perforation signal count is stored in the computer
-20-
in the LCU 150 (Fig. 11); at designated perforation count
intervals, the paper sensors are interrogated. If paper has not
arrived at the sensor within the expected perforation count
interval, a malfunction is indicated. Likewise, if paper has
not cleared a sensor within the expected perforation count
interval, a malfunction is indicated. It is important to
note that the paper ~am detection system is not based on time
measurement, but on perforations counted by the computer. The
LCU 150 knows the positions of the copy sheets traveling
through the machine in terms of perforation counts. This
- concept is more fully described in United States Patent Number
3 ,914, 047 .
Attention is now directed specifically to the sensor
214 or 216 located at the exit of the copier. At predetermined
perforation counts, the computer samples the state of the selected
sensor to verify that the copy paper has in fact cleared the
exit. This verification will be accomplished as follows:
at the appropriate time, the computer will check to see if there
is a copy sheet at the sensor (logic "1"). Prior to this time,
the next sheet should have arrived. After the copy sheet has
exited, the sensor should be open (logic "0"). Logic "0"
refers to trailing edge detection. If a trailing edge is not
detected prior to recept of a subsequent leading edge, a paper
jam is indicated and the LCU 150 will shut down operation
of copier 10 and feeder 14. The computer also counts the
number of sheets that have properly exited the copier and stores
the cumulative total number which is used in the subbookletting
mode (to be described later).
Copier ~am recovery is accomplished by opening machine
access covers, alleviating the problem (i.e. removing the jammed
sheets), ~nd closing the covers.
In like manner, LCU 150 interrogates sensor 218 to
-21-
7~
determine whether an original document has been fed past it
after an exposure cycle has been completed. If a ~am is
detected in the feeder, LCU 150 will shut down copier 10 and
feeder 14.
In case of shutdown of copier lO and feeder 14 due to
a malfunction, finisher 12 will continue to operate for a short
time to clear copies in process in finisher 12 and to offset
stack the copies in output tray 102 to give an indication
to the operator of the malformed booklet.
Figure 12 is a flow chart of the operation of finisher
12 according to an aspect of the present invention when such
a copier malfunction occurs. As shown, when a ~am occurs to
shut down copler lO and feeder 14 a "jam dump" condition is
created. The first decision to be made is whether there is
a need to dump. If there are not copies in process in
finisher 12 then the answer is no and the finisher can be turned
off. If there are copies in process in finisher 12, LCU 150
sends a signal to finisher control 152 to send a signal over lead
20 230 to turn on the brake applied to roller nip 66, 68 to prevent
any further copies from entering collection tray 70.
The next decision in Fig. 12 is whether the delay is
done i.e. whether the nip roller brake has stopped rollers 66,
- 68. If the answer is no, the interrogation is made again.
If the answer is yes, LCU 150 sends signals to control 152 to
actuate gripper 84 and offset arm 92. Control 152
sequentially actuates gripper solenoid 86 over lead 232
to grip the booklet in tray 70, gate solenoid 90 over lead
234 to open gate 74, transport arm solenoid 96 over lead 236
to rotate arm 92 thereby stripping the booklet from tray
70 and offset solenoid 130 over lead 238 to offset stack the
booklet in tray 102. If the finisher has been operating in
the straight stack mode, the offset booklet in tray 102 will give
a ready indication to the operator of the booklet in process when
- 22 -
the copier jam occured. If the finisher is operating
in the offset stack mode, the ~am booklet will be offset and
will be noticeable as an extra thickness when it is combined
with another normally processed booklet which has been offset
in tray 102.
The next decision made is whether the latter operations
have been completed after a predetermined delay. If they have,
then LCU 150 sends signals to control 152 to turn off the nip
brake, release gripper 84 so that the ~am booklet can be stacked
~ in the tray and return the transport arm to its normal rearward
-~ position. Control 152 then causes gate 90 to close so that a new
set of copies can be collected in tray 70 after the ~am has been
cleared from copier 10 or feeder 14 and normal copying operation
has resumed.
Finisher control 152 monitors copies as they pass
sensors 160 and 162 and if a ~am should be indicated, finisher 12
will be shut down and further copies produced by copier 10 will
be diverted into top hopper 46.
- Subbookletting Mode
According to another aspect of the present invention,
finisher 12 is capable of operating in either offset or
straight stack mode even if the number of copies in a set exceeds
the copy assembling limit of intermediate collection tray 70
of finisher 12. In such case, LCU 150 will cause finisher
12 to operate in the subbooklet mode so that subbooklets of a
set will be collected in tray 70 and stacked in the same location
on tray 102. Thus, if the finisher is operating in an offset
mode,subbooklets of copies equal to or less than the copy limit
of tray 70 will be stacked in the same location in tray 102
until the booklet is completely stacked. All the subbooklets
of the next booklet will be then offset stacked with respect to
the previous booklet in the same location.
~71~
In the context of this application a "subbooklet"
constitutes an assembled number of copies equal to or
less than the copy limit of collection tray 70 where the
number of copies in a collated or noncollated set produced by
copier 10 is greater than the copy limit of tray 70. Thus,
if a copy set produced by copier 10 included 80 copies and the
copy limit of tray 70 was 50 copies, finisher 12 would be operated
in the subbooklet mode so that the first 50 copies would
be collected in tray 70 and stacked in the selected manner in
tray 102 and the next 30 copies would be collected in tray 70
and stacked in the same location in tray 102 as the
previous 50 copies. In this manner, all 80 copies of the
booklet would be stacked in the same location in tray 102
in the form of subbooklets of 50 and 30 copies.
Referring to Fig. 13, there is shown a flow diagram
of the subbookletting mode of operation. The first decision
which LCU 150 makes is whether a coincidence copy has been
delivered to exit sensor 214 of copier 10. The coincidence
signal is determined as follows: If the noncollate or manual
mode has been selected, LCU 150 counts the number of copies
which have exited from copier 10 as sensed by sensor 214 and
compares this count with the copies requested count from copier
control panel 18. If the two counts are equal, a coincidence
copy is determined to have been delivered. If the collate
mode has been selected on feeder control panel 20, a
separator member 164 which has been engaged with the top of
a 9et of originals placed in feeder 14 at the beginning of a
copy run, falls through the bottom of the feeder tray when the
last original in a set to be copied is fed from the stack and
produces a set count signal which is fed to LCU 150 over
-24-
~7~ ~ gt
lead 240. Receipt of this signal gives an indication of the
completion of one set and ldentifies the coincidence copy as
it exits from copier 10.
If the decision is made that a coincidence copy has
- not been delivered, the next step is to compare the subbooklet
count with the copy limit count. If the subbooklet count is
not equal to or greater than the copy limit then the subbooklet
count is incremented and the subbooklet routine ended. If the
subbooklet count is equal to or greater than the copy limit of
tray 70 then the subbooklet count will be cleared and after delay
is done, a nip brake engage signal will be sent from LCU 150
to finisher control 152. After the nip brake has been engaged,
the gripper signal will be sent and the gripper caused to close
on the subbooklet in tray 70. The decision is next made
whether offset is needed, if it is, the offset signal will be
sent and the transport arm will be offset. If the delay to permit
offsetting has been completed, LCU 150 sends signals to finisher
control 152 to turn off the gripper, offset and nip brake solenoids
so that the subbooklet may be stacked in output tray 102,
the transport arm returned to its normally rearward position,
and subsequent copies collected in tray 70. The routine is then
ended.
If the decision is made that coincidence copy has been
delivered, then the offset switch is sampled. If offset has not
been requested then offset needed is cleared. If offset has
been requested then offset needed is sampled to determine if it
has been set. If it has not been set, then the command is
sent to set it, if it has been set~then the command is sent to
clear offset needed. The routine is continued in the same
manner as described above relating to the determination that the
subbooklet count equals or-exceeds the copy limit.
In such manner, if it is determined that the
-25-
copies of a collated or uncollated set exceeds the assembling
capacity of tray 70, then the ~inisher will assemble copies into
subbooklets which will be stacked in the same location in output
tray 102.
The invention has been described in detail with
particular reference to the preferred embodiment thereof, but
it will be understood that variations and modifications can be
effected within the spirit and scope of the lnvention.
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