Apparatus, system and method for cutting and creasing media

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10245803-B2
Application number	US-201313800555-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Apr 2, 2019
Grant date	Apr 2, 2019

Abstract

An apparatus is disclosed that includes a computer operated cutting and creasing tool configured to move only in an X direction during use, a cutting and creasing platform having an elastically deformable creasing portion configured to support a sheet of media during contact with a creasing tip and a non-deformable cutting portion configured to support the sheet during contact with a cutting blade, and a positioner configured to draw the sheet of media along the cutting and creasing platform during cutting and creasing. Methods of making and using the apparatus also are disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a cutting and creasing tool configured to move in an X direction but not in a Y direction during use, the cutting and creasing tool including a cut-crease head comprising
a non-rotatable cutting blade with a cutting edge and a terminal end, the cutting blade being moveable between an engaged position in which the terminal end is below a sheet of media and a non-engaged position in which the terminal end is above the sheet of media, and
a non-rotatable creasing tip spaced from the cutting blade,

the cut-crease head being configured to support only one cutting blade and only one creasing tip during use,
a cutting and creasing platform having a generally planar upper surface configured to support the sheet of media during cutting and creasing, the platform including an elastically deformable creasing portion disposed beneath the creasing tip, and a non-deformable cutting portion disposed adjacent to the creasing portion and beneath the cutting blade, the cutting portion having an elongated channel formed therein to receive the cutting blade when the cutting blade is in the engaged position,
a positioner configured to draw the sheet of media along the cutting and creasing platform in a Y-direction while shifting the sheet back and forth along the Y-direction in response to at least one of a cutting order and a creasing order, and
a computerized processor configured to operate the cutting and creasing tool and the positioner.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further including an automatic media feeder configured to automatically feed sheets of media onto and off of the cutting and creasing platform.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting blade and creasing tip are operated using solenoids.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the creasing portion has a Shore A hardness in the range of 40-90.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the creasing portion is upstream from the cutting portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting portion of the cutting and creasing platform has a plurality of elongated channels formed therein.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting portion comprises metal.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the cutting portion includes a removable segment comprising a plurality of walls defining the channel portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the creasing portion of the cutting and creasing platform comprises a thermoplastic or thermoset material.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a sensor configured to read data on the sheet of media comprising instructions for at least one of cutting and creasing.

11. A system comprising:
a cutting and creasing tool configured to move in an X direction but not in a Y direction during use, the cutting and creasing tool including a cut-crease head comprising
a non-rotatable cutting blade with a cutting edge and a terminal end, the cutting blade being moveable between an engaged position in which the terminal end is below a sheet of media and a non-engaged position in which the terminal end is above the sheet of media, and
a non-rotatable creasing tip spaced from the cutting blade,

a cutting and creasing platform having a generally planar upper surface configured to support the sheet of media during cutting and creasing, the platform including an elastically deformable creasing portion disposed beneath the creasing tip, and a non-deformable cutting portion disposed adjacent to the creasing portion and beneath the cutting blade, the cutting portion having an elongated channel formed therein to receive the cutting blade when the cutting blade is in the engaged position,
a positioner configured to draw the sheet of media along the cutting and creasing platform in a Y-direction while shifting the sheet back and forth along the Y-direction in response to at least one of a cutting order and a creasing order,
a sensor configured to read data on the sheet of media comprising instructions for at least one of cutting and creasing,
a computerized processor configured to operate the cutting and creasing tool, the sensor and the positioner,
a first feeder disposed adjacent to or connected to the cutting and creasing platform, the first feeder being configured to automatically transport individual sheets of media from an in-feed receptacle toward the cutting and creasing platform using a first feed device, and
a second feeder disposed adjacent to or connected to the cutting and creasing platform, the second feeder being configured to automatically transport individual sheets of media from the cutting and creasing platform to an out-feed receptacle after at least one of cutting and creasing.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the creasing portion is upstream from the cutting portion.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the cutting portion includes a removable segment comprising a plurality of walls defining the channel portion.

14. A method of making a media converter, comprising:
forming a cutting and creasing tool configured to move in an X direction but not in a Y direction during use, the cutting and creasing tool including a cut-crease head comprising a non-rotatable cutting blade with a cutting edge and a terminal end, the cutting blade being moveable between an engaged position in which the terminal end is below a sheet of media and a non-engaged position in which the terminal end is above the sheet of media, a non-rotatable creasing tip spaced from the cutting blade, and a sensor configured to read data on a sheet of media comprising instructions for at least one of cutting and creasing,
forming a cutting and creasing platform having a generally planar upper surface configured to support the sheet of media during cutting and creasing, the platform including an elastically deformable creasing portion disposed beneath the creasing tip, and a non-deformable cutting portion disposed adjacent to the creasing portion and beneath the cutting blade, the cutting portion having an elongated channel formed therein to receive the cutting blade when the cutting blade is in the engaged position,
mounting the cutting and creasing tool above the cutting and creasing platform,
forming a positioner configured to draw the sheet of media along the cutting and creasing platform in a Y-direction while shifting the sheet back and forth along the Y-direction in response to at least one of a cutting order and a creasing order, and
forming a computerized processor to operate the cutting and creasing tool and the positioner.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising:
forming an automatic first feeder that includes a first feed device to place the sheet of media on the cutting and creasing platform, and
forming an automatic second feeder that includes a second feed device to automatically remove the sheet of media from the cutting and creasing platform after cutting and creasing using a second feeder.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the positioner and the automatic second feeder both use a first roller nip to move the sheet of media in the Y direction.

Assignees

• Xerox Corp

Inventors

• Clark Robert A
• Nowak William J
• Hannaway William J

Classifications

• B26D5/06 Primary

  by electrical means · CPC title

• B26D5/086

  Electric, magnetic, piezoelectric, electro-magnetic means · CPC title

• B31F7/00 Primary

  Processes not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• B26D5/32

  with the record carrier formed by the work itself · CPC title

• B26D7/20

  Cutting beds {(B26D7/018 takes precedence; supporting beds for severing by means of a fluid jet B26F3/008)} · CPC title