Pressing device for a sheet folding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10953622-B2
Application number	US-201815961944-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2018
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	Mar 23, 2021
Grant date	Mar 23, 2021

Abstract

A sheet processing device includes: a conveying module that conveys a folded sheet; and a pressing module that presses a folded part of the folded sheet by rotating about a direction orthogonal to a sheet conveying direction of the conveying module as a rotation axis. The pressing module includes a projecting part arranged in a certain range in a direction of the rotation axis along a circumferential surface about the rotation axis. The projecting part is formed to be symmetric with respect to a middle part of the rotation axis in the direction of the rotation axis, and the projecting part arranged on one side from the middle part along the direction of the rotation axis are formed such that a position of the projecting part in a rotational direction of the circumferential surface varies along the direction of the rotation axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pressing device, comprising:
a shaft; and
a press structure arranged around the shaft,
wherein the press structure includes a part whose pressing position in a rotational direction of the shaft is different along an axis direction of the shaft, and
wherein the part presses a fold of a medium along a direction in which the fold extends by rotation of the shaft while immobilizing the medium.

2. The pressing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the part is a projecting part arranged in a certain range in the axis direction along a circumferential surface about the shaft, and to press the fold of the medium,
the part is provided toward both ends of the press structure in the axis direction with respect to a reference part between the both ends, and
the part is arranged such that a position of the press structure in the rotational direction is different along the axis direction.

3. The pressing device according to claim 2 , wherein
the reference part is at a center of the part in the axis direction, and
the part is symmetrically arranged with respect to a center of the part in the axis direction.

4. The pressing device according to claim 1 , wherein the part is linearly and continuously formed.

5. The pressing device according to claim 1 , wherein the part includes a plurality of projections arranged in the axis direction.

6. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a support to support the medium from an opposite direction of a pressing direction; and
a shock buffer positioned at a certain position of the support and to buffer shock when the part presses the medium.

7. The pressing device according to claim 6 , wherein the shock buffer is positioned between the medium and the support in a state in which the medium is supported by the support at the certain position in the support.

8. The pressing device according to claim 6 , wherein the shock buffer is positioned between the medium and the part in a state in which the medium is supported by the support at the certain position in the support.

9. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the press structure, wherein
the rotation controller is configured to determine a rotational direction of the press structure based on folding information about the fold formed on the medium.

10. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the press structure, wherein
the rotation controller is configured to determine a rotational speed of the press structure based on folding information about the fold formed on the medium.

11. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the press structure, wherein
the rotation controller is configured to, in rotating the press structure in a specific rotational direction, control the rotation of the press structure such that a first rotational speed is smaller than a second rotational speed and a third rotational speed, the first rotational speed being a speed of the press structure in the specific rotational direction in a certain period until the part starts to press the medium, the second rotational speed being a speed of the press structure in the specific rotational direction in a period from when the part starts to press the medium to when the part stops pressing the medium the third rotational speed being a speed of the press structure in the specific rotational direction after the part stops pressing the medium.

12. The pressing device according to claim 11 , wherein the rotation controller is configured to control the rotation of the press structure such that the third rotational speed is larger than the second rotational speed when rotating the press structure in the specific rotational direction.

13. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the press structure, wherein
the rotation controller is configured to determine a rotational speed of the press structure based on medium information about the medium.

14. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation controller configured to control rotation of the press structure, wherein
the rotation controller is configured to, when the conveyed medium is stopped and the press structure presses the stopped medium, start to control the press structure to rotate before the medium is stopped, in accordance with a timing when the part abuts on the medium.

15. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a conveying module to convey the medium and
a conveyance controller configured to control conveyance of the medium, wherein
the conveyance controller is configured to, when pressing of the medium is stopped and the pressed medium is conveyed, start to perform control for conveying the medium before the part becomes separated from the medium, in accordance with a timing when the press structure stops pressing the medium.

16. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a rotation drive brake to generate driving force for rotating the press structure and braking force for stopping the rotation of the press structure;
a driving force blocker to transmit only a driving force for rotating the press structure in a specific rotational direction to the press structure among the driving force generated by the rotation drive brake, and block driving force for rotating the press structure in a direction opposite to the specific rotational direction from the press structure; and
a drive transmitter to another driving unit, the drive transmitter to transmit the driving force blocked from the press structure to the another driving unit.

17. The pressing device according to claim 16 , wherein
the driving force blocker is to transmit a braking force for stopping the press structure so as not to be rotated in the opposite direction of the specific rotational direction to the press structure among the braking force generated by the rotation drive brake, and block a braking force for stopping the press structure so as not to be rotated in the specific rotational direction, and
the pressing device comprises a rotation stopper to stop the press structure so as not to be rotated in the specific rotational direction when stopped from a state in which the rotation drive brake drives the press structure to rotate in the specific rotational direction.

18. The pressing device according to claim 1 , wherein
the part is a projecting part linearly and continuously formed in the axis direction along a circumferential surface about the shaft, and
the part is arranged such that a position of the part in the rotational direction is different along the axis direction.

19. The pressing device according to claim 18 , wherein the press structure is to successively press the fold of the folded medium from one end toward another end.

20. The pressing device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a conveying module to convey the medium, wherein
the pressing device is to, when the fold of the medium is transferred by the conveying module to the pressing position, stop conveyance of the medium and press the fold.

21. The pressing device according to claim 20 , wherein, when the fold is a plurality of folds, for each fold, the pressing device is to stop conveyance

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Suzuki Michitaka
• Furuhashi Tomohiro
• Hoshino Tomomichi
• Kunieda Akira
• Watanabe Takahiro
• Suzuki Yuji
• Saito Satoshi
• Sakano Koki
• Watanabe Takao

Classifications

• B65H45/30 Primary

  Folding in combination with creasing, smoothing or application of adhesive (folding or adhesive application in article or web delivering B65H37/00) · CPC title

• B65H2801/27

  Devices located downstream of office-type machines · CPC title

• B31F1/0025 Primary

  Making the folding lines using rotary tools · CPC title

• B65H2801/03

  Image reproduction devices · CPC title

• B65H45/14

  Buckling folders · CPC title