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

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2020247636-A1
Application number	US-202016747225-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 20, 2020
Priority date	Jan 31, 2019
Publication date	Aug 6, 2020
Grant date	—

Abstract

A sheet separation device to open a two-ply sheet includes a rotator; a nipping member disposed opposite the rotator and configured to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator; a conveyor configured to convey the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the nipping member, and a winding member disposed adjacent to the rotator. The conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end or a downstream end of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet. The winding member winds the two-ply sheet around the rotator, to create a difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets and separate the two sheets.

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; a nipping member disposed opposite the rotator and configured to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator; a conveyor configured to convey the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the nipping member with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end or a downstream end of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet; and a winding member disposed adjacent to the rotator and configured to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator, to create a difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets and separate the two sheets.

2 . The sheet separation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the nipping member is a first nipping member, and the winding member includes at least one second nipping member configured to nip the two-ply sheet with the rotator, and wherein the at least one second nipping member is disposed around a circumference of the rotator and downstream from the first nipping member in a winding direction in which the rotator rotates to wind the two-ply sheet.

3 . The sheet separation device according to claim 2 ,
wherein a nipping force to nip the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the at least one second nipping member is greater than a nipping force to nip the two-ply sheet between the rotator and the first nipping member.

4 . The sheet separation device according to claim 2 ,
wherein the winding member includes a plurality of second nipping members around the circumference of the rotator, and wherein a nipping force to nip the two-ply sheet between the rotator and each of the plurality of second nipping members increases in the winding direction in which the rotator rotates to wind the two-ply sheet.

5 . The sheet separation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the winding member includes a guide member at a distance from an outer circumferential surface of the rotator in a direction orthogonal to a rotation axis of the rotator, and wherein the guide member is configured to guide the two-ply sheet along the outer circumferential surface of the rotator.

6 . The sheet separation device according to claim 1 ,
wherein the conveyor is configured to convey the two-ply sheet in both a direction toward the rotator and a reverse direction retracting from the rotator.

7 . The sheet separation device according to claim 6 ,
wherein, in winding the two-ply sheet around the rotator, the rotator winds the two-ply sheet with the bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being the upstream end in the conveyance direction in which the conveyor conveys the two-ply sheet toward the rotator.

8 . The sheet separation device according to claim 7 , further comprising:
a separation claw disposed between the rotator and the conveyor in the conveyance direction and configured to move in a width direction of the two-ply sheet; and control circuitry configured to:
insert, in the width direction, the separation claw into a space between the two sheets of the two-ply sheet; and
cause the conveyor to convey the two-ply sheet in the reverse direction retracting from the rotator with the separation claw inserted in the space, to separate the two sheets of the two-ply sheet.

9 . The sheet separation device according to claim 8 , further comprising a sheet guide configured to guide the separated two sheets of the two-ply sheet to different passages,
wherein the conveyor is configured to convey the separated two sheets to the sheet guide, to open the two-ply sheet.

10 . The sheet separation device according to claim 9 , 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 conveyor; a second stacking tray configured to store a sheet medium to be inserted into the two-ply sheet; and a second feeder configured to feed, from the second stacking tray, the sheet medium into the two-ply sheet.

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

12 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
a two-ply sheet tray configured to store the two-ply sheet; a two-ply sheet feeder configured to feed the two-ply sheet from the two-ply sheet tray; an image forming device configured to form an image on the two-ply sheet; and the sheet separation device according to claim 1 , to separate the two sheets of the two-ply sheet.

13 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising a heat and pressure member configured to heat and press the two-ply sheet,
wherein the sheet separation device and the heat and pressure member comprise a laminator.

14 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 12 , further comprising:
a medium tray configured to store a sheet medium; a medium feeder configured to feed the sheet medium from the medium tray; an image forming device configured to form an image on the sheet medium; and an inserter configured to insert the sheet medium on which the image is formed into the two-ply sheet.

15 . An image forming apparatus comprising:
a medium tray configured to store a sheet medium; a medium feeder configured to feed the sheet medium from the medium tray; an image forming device configured to form an image on the sheet medium; the sheet separation device according to claim 1 ; and an inserter configured to insert the sheet medium into the two-ply sheet.

16 . The image forming apparatus according to claim 15 , further comprising a heat and pressure member configured to heat and press the two-ply sheet,
wherein the sheet separation device and the heat and pressure member comprise a laminator.

17 . An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus; and the sheet separation device according to claim 1 , removably coupled to the image forming apparatus.

18 . The image forming system according to claim 17 , further comprising a heat and pressure member configured to heat and press the two-ply sheet,
wherein the sheet separation device and the heat and pressure member comprise a laminator.

19 . 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 including a holder configured to hold the two-ply sheet; and a conveyor configured to convey the two-ply sheet to the holder, with a bonded portion of the two-ply sheet being an upstream end or a downstream end of the two-ply sheet in a conveyance direction of the two-ply sheet, the holder configured to wind the two-ply sheet around the rotator as the rotator rotates, to create a difference in winding circumferential length between the two sheets and separate the two sheets.

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Furuhashi Tomohiro
• Iwasaki Akihiro
• Suzuki Michitaka
• YONEYAMA Fumiharu
• Hoshino Tomomichi
• Takahashi Wataru
• Morinaga Takuya
• Sakano Koki
• Kunieda Akira
• HARAGUCHI Yohsuke
• Hidaka Makoto

Classifications

• B65H3/36

  by separators moved in special paths, e.g. enclosing an area · CPC title

• B65H3/06

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

• B65H5/06

  by rollers {or balls, e.g. between rollers (transport by suction rollers B65H5/226)} · CPC title

• B65H45/04

  Folding sheets · CPC title

• B65H45/16

  Rotary folders · CPC title