Sheet separation device, laminator, image forming apparatus, and image forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11273629-B2
Application number	US-202016842941-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 8, 2020
Priority date	Apr 25, 2019
Publication date	Mar 15, 2022
Grant date	Mar 15, 2022

Abstract

A sheet separation device includes a rotator, a nipping member to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator, a first conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in a first direction toward the rotator and a second direction reverse thereto, a winding member to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator, a second conveyor to convey a sheet medium in the second direction, a separation claw to move in a width direction; a sheet guide to guide the separated two sheets to different passages; and control circuitry. The first conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet to the rotator with a bonded portion at an upstream end. The control circuitry inserts the separation claw into a space between the two sheets, adjusts a projection amount of the two-ply sheet from a nip of the first conveyor in the second direction, and inserts the sheet medium in two-ply sheet adjusted in the projection amount.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A sheet separation device configured to separate a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet, the sheet separation device comprising:
a rotator configured to rotate in forward and reverse directions and including a holder configured to hold the two-ply sheet around the rotator so as to create a space between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet as the rotator rotates;
a first conveyor being a pair of rotators pressed against each other and configured to:
convey the two-ply sheet in a first direction toward the rotator and a second direction reverse to the first direction; and
convey the two-ply sheet to the rotator with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end of the two-ply sheet in the first direction;

a second conveyor configured to convey at least one sheet medium to the first conveyor in the second direction;
a separation claw disposed between the rotator and the first conveyor and configured to move in a width direction of the two-ply sheet;
a sheet guide configured to guide the separated two sheets of the two-ply sheet to different passages; and
control circuitry configured to:
insert, in the width direction, the separation claw into the space between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet;
cause the first conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in the second direction with the separation claw inserted in the space, to separate the two sheets of the two-ply sheet;
cause the first conveyor to convey the separated two sheets of the two-ply sheet to the sheet guide, to open the two-ply sheet;
cause the second conveyor to convey the at least one sheet medium toward an opening of the two-ply sheet in the second direction;
cause the first conveyor to adjust an amount of projection of the two-ply sheet from a nip of the first conveyor in the second direction; and
cause the second conveyor to insert the at least one sheet medium into the two-ply sheet adjusted in the amount of projection.

2. The sheet separation device according to claim 1 , further comprising a sheet end sensor configured to detect an end of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to adjust the amount of projection of the two-ply sheet based on a detection result generated by the sheet end sensor.

3. The sheet separation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
stop the first conveyor with the bonded portion of the two-ply sheet held in the nip of the first conveyor; and
cause the second conveyor to bring the at least one sheet medium into contact with the bonded portion held in the nip, to determine relative positions between the two-ply sheet and the at least one sheet medium.

4. The sheet separation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
cause the first conveyor to hold the two-ply sheet with the nip of the first conveyor in a state where the bonded portion of the two-ply sheet is downstream from the nip of the first conveyor in the second direction; and
cause the second conveyor to bring the at least one sheet medium into contact with a portion of the two-ply sheet held in the nip of the first conveyor, to determine relative positions between the two-ply sheet and the at least one sheet medium.

5. The sheet separation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the second conveyor to:
convey the at least one sheet medium in the second direction at a speed higher than a speed at which the first conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet in the second direction; and
bring the at least one sheet medium into contact with a portion of the two-ply sheet held in the nip of the first conveyor, to determine relative positions between the two-ply sheet and the at least one sheet medium.

6. The sheet separation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the second conveyor to:
convey the at least one sheet medium in the second direction at a same speed as a speed at which the first conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet in the second direction; and
insert the at least one sheet medium in the two-ply sheet at a timing when the amount of projection of the two-ply sheet from the nip is a value, to determine relative positions between the two-ply sheet and the at least one sheet medium.

7. The sheet separation device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first stacking tray configured to store the two-ply sheet;
a first feeder configured to feed the two-ply sheet from the first stacking tray to the first conveyor;
a second stacking tray configured to store the at least one sheet medium to be inserted into the two-ply sheet; and
a second feeder configured to feed, from the second stacking tray, the at least one sheet medium to the second conveyor.

8. A laminator comprising:
the sheet separation device according to claim 1 ; and
a heat and pressure member configured to heat and press the two-ply sheet.

9. A sheet separation device configured to separate a two-ply sheet in which two sheets are bonded together at a portion of the two-ply sheet, the sheet separation device comprising:
a rotator configured to rotate in forward and reverse directions;
a first conveyor being a pair of rotators pressed against each other and configured to:
convey the two-ply sheet in a first direction toward the rotator and a second direction reverse to the first direction; and
convey the two-ply sheet to the rotator with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end of the two-ply sheet in the first direction;

winding members disposed adjacent to the rotator and configured to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator, to create a space between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet;
a second conveyor configured to convey at least one sheet medium to the first conveyor in the second direction;
a separation claw disposed between the rotator and the first conveyor and configured to move in a width direction of the two-ply sheet;
a sheet guide configured to guide the separated two sheets of the two-ply sheet to different passages; and
control circuitry configured to:
insert, in the width direction, the separation claw into the space between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet;
cause the first conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in the second direction with the separation claw inserted in the space, to separate the two sheets of the two-ply sheet;
cause the first conveyor to convey the separated two sheets to the sheet guide, to open the two-ply sheet;
cause the second conveyor to convey the at least one sheet medium toward an opening of the two-ply sheet in the second direction;
cause the first conveyor to adjust an amount of projection of the two-ply sheet from a nip of the first conveyor in the second direction; and

cause the second conveyor to insert the at least one sheet medium into the two-ply sheet adjusted in the amount of projection.

Assignees

• Takahashi Wataru
• Furuhashi Tomohiro
• Suzuki Michitaka
• Hoshino Tomomichi
• YONEYAMA Fumiharu
• Matsuo Kazuyoshi
• Hidaka Makoto
• Sakano Koki
• Kunieda Akira
• Watanabe Takahiro
• Morinaga Takuya
• HARAGUCHI Yohsuke
• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Takahashi Wataru
• Furuhashi Tomohiro
• Suzuki Michitaka
• Hoshino Tomomichi
• YONEYAMA Fumiharu
• Matsuo Kazuyoshi
• Hidaka Makoto
• Sakano Koki
• Kunieda Akira
• Watanabe Takahiro
• Morinaga Takuya
• HARAGUCHI Yohsuke

Classifications

• B65H3/06 Primary

  Rollers or like rotary separators {(B65H3/42 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B65H2801/03

  Image reproduction devices · CPC title

• B32B37/142

  Laminating of sheets, panels or inserts, e.g. stiffeners, by wrapping in at least one outer layer, or inserting into a preformed pocket · CPC title

• B32B38/10

  Removing layers, or parts of layers, mechanically or chemically · CPC title

• B65H5/062

  between rollers or balls · CPC title