Sheet handling apparatus with rotary drum

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10053323-B2
Application number	US-201715687123-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 25, 2017
Priority date	Sep 2, 2016
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A sheet handling apparatus for a printing system includes a rotary drum having an inner chamber circumferentially surrounded by an outer peripheral wall with perforations formed therein. By means of sucking an air flow through the perforations of the drum to a suction system, sheets are attracted to the peripheral wall of the drum. A stationary shutter member is positioned inside the inner chamber for blocking the flow of air through the perforations when they pass, with the rotation of the drum, through a first predetermined angular range. The shutter member includes protrusions while the rotary drum includes recesses for receiving the protrusions, such that a meandering air flow passage is formed between the shutter member and the rotary drum. As such, friction between the rotary drum and the stationary shutter member is reduced, thereby reducing the power consumption of the suction system.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sheet handling apparatus comprising:
a rotary drum having an inner chamber circumferentially surrounded by an outer peripheral wall with perforations formed therein;
a suction system for controlling a flow of air through the perforations of the drum, thereby to attract sheets to the peripheral wall of the drum; and
a shutter member positioned inside the inner chamber for blocking the flow of air through the perforations when they pass, with the rotation of the drum, through a first predetermined angular range,
wherein a radially outward surface of the shutter member comprises a plurality of protrusions and a radially inward surface of the rotary drum comprises plurality of recesses for receiving the protrusions, such that a meandering air flow passage is formed between the shutter member and the rotary drum,
wherein the protrusions are spaced apart from one another in an axial direction of the drum, and
wherein the recesses are spaced apart from one another in the axial direction of the drum.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the meandering air flow passage forms an air flow resistance element to prevent substantial amounts of air from flowing from inside the shutter member into the inner chamber of the rotary drum.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each protrusion and recess extends over a predefined angle in a circumferential direction of the drum.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each protrusion is shaped to contactlessly fit into a corresponding recess.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the meandering air flow passage spaces the radially inward surface of the drum apart from the shutter member by a narrow distance of less than 5 mm.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary drum is rotatably supported on a stationary frame of the sheet handling apparatus, and a stationary support member extends inside the drum to connect the shutter member inside the rotary drum to the stationary frame.

7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the rotary drum is rotatably supported on a stationary rotation axis, wherein the stationary support member connects the shutter member to the stationary rotation axis.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the rotary drum further comprises a flange at each axial end of the rotary drum, and
wherein one of the flanges comprises a suction opening for connecting the inner chamber to the suction system.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the stationary rotation axis extends into the inner chamber through a suction opening.

10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a pressure source for introducing compressed air into the shutter member, which shutter member is arranged for providing a flow of air through the perforations when they pass, with the rotation of the drum, through a second predetermined angular range.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , further comprising a support member conduit for providing an air flow from the pressure source to the shutter member.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the stationary rotation axis comprises an axis conduit in fluid connection with a support member conduit for providing an air flow from a pressure source to the shutter member.

13. A printing system comprising the sheet handling apparatus according to claim 1 .

14. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of protrusions extend radially outwardly and the plurality of recesses for receiving the protrusions extend radially.

15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the meandering air flow passage extends in an axial direction of the drum.

16. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the meandering air flow passage is formed between the radially outward surface of the shutter member and the radially inward surface of the rotary drum.

17. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the inner chamber forms a fluid connection between the perforations in the outer peripheral wall of the drum and the suction system, such that during operation air is sucked in through the perforations into the inner chamber.

18. The apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the meandering air flow passage is formed by a labyrinth seal between the radially outward surface of the shutter member and the radially inward surface of the drum.

Assignees

• Oce Holding Bv

Inventors

• Albers Antonius G H
• Smeyers Johannes H L
• Van Beek Albert M
• Haenen Marcel J H M
• Nellen Wilhelmus H J

Classifications

• B65H29/243 Primary

  Suction rollers · CPC title

• B65H2406/3614

  involving a shoe in sliding contact with an inner section of the periphery of a rotating element · CPC title

• B41J13/226

  using suction · CPC title

• B65H2801/03

  Image reproduction devices · CPC title

• B65H2406/364

  simultaneously blowing and sucking · CPC title