Pair of sheet transport rolls, sheet folding device, post-processing device, and image forming system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9302881-B2
Application number	US-201414457468-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 12, 2014
Priority date	Dec 27, 2013
Publication date	Apr 5, 2016
Grant date	Apr 5, 2016

Abstract

Provided is a pair of sheet transport rolls including a first roll that has a first convex portion spirally provided on an outer peripheral surface, and a second roll that is provided along the first roll and has a second convex portion that is spirally provided in a position facing the first convex portion of the first roll on the outer peripheral surface, wherein the first roll and the second roll are rotated, and a sheet is transported while being sandwiched between the first convex portion of the first roll and the second convex portion of the second roll.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A pair of sheet transport rolls comprising:
a first roll that has a first convex portion spirally provided on an outer peripheral surface; and
a second roll that is provided along the first roll and has a second convex portion that is spirally provided in a position facing the first convex portion of the first roll on the outer peripheral surface, wherein
the first roll and the second roll are rotated, and
a sheet is transported while being sandwiched between the first convex portion of the first roll and the second convex portion of the second roll,
wherein a cross-sectional portion of the first convex portion includes a base portion fixed to an the outer peripheral surface of the first roll, and a top portion opposite the base portion, a width of the top portion being smaller than a width of the base portion, the top portion being a substantially flat portion, and
wherein a cross-sectional portion of the second convex portion includes a base portion and a top portion opposite the base portion, a width of the top portion being smaller than a width of the base portion, the top portion being a substantially flat portion.

2. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 1 ,
wherein the second convex portion of the second roll turns in an opposite direction to the first convex portion of the facing first roll.

3. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 2 ,
wherein the first convex portion of the first roll includes:
a first turning portion that turns in a first turning direction between a center portion and one end portion in a direction intersecting a transporting direction of the sheet; and
a second turning portion that turns in a second turning direction opposite to the first turning direction between the center portion and the other end portion.

4. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 3 ,
wherein the pair of sheet transport rolls rotates the first roll in a direction in which a gap of a contact portion in which the first turning portion and the second turning portion come into contact with each other in the sheet in a direction intersecting the transporting direction of the sheet is widened as the first roll is rotated.

5. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 1 ,
wherein the pair of sheet transport rolls rotates the first roll and the second roll while maintaining a state where the first convex portion of the first roll and the second convex portion of the second roll face each other by sandwiching the sheet therebetween.

6. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 5 ,
wherein the first convex portion of the first roll includes:
a first turning portion that turns in a first turning direction between a center portion and one end portion in a direction intersecting a transporting direction of the sheet; and
a second turning portion that turns in a second turning direction opposite to the first turning direction between the center portion and the other end portion.

7. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 6 ,
wherein the pair of sheet transport rolls rotates the first roll in a direction in which a gap of a contact portion in which the first turning portion and the second turning portion come into contact with each other in the sheet in a direction intersecting the transporting direction of the sheet is widened as the first roll is rotated.

8. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 1 ,
wherein the first convex portion of the first roll includes:
a first turning portion that turns in a first turning direction between a center portion and one end portion in a direction intersecting a transporting direction of the sheet; and
a second turning portion that turns in a second turning direction opposite to the first turning direction between the center portion and the other end portion.

9. The pair of sheet transport rolls according to claim 8 ,
wherein the pair of sheet transport rolls rotates the first roll in a direction in which a gap of a contact portion in which the first turning portion and the second turning portion come into contact with each other in the sheet in a direction intersecting the transporting direction of the sheet is widened as the first roll is rotated.

10. A sheet folding device comprising:
a stack portion that stacks sheets and forms a sheet bundle;
a first roll that has a first convex portion spirally provided on an outer peripheral surface;
a second roll that is provided along the first roll and has a second convex portion that is spirally provided in a position facing the first convex portion of the first roll on the outer peripheral surface; and
a rotating mechanism that rotates the first roll and the second roll and performs a folding process in the sheet bundle while sandwiching the sheet bundle formed in the stack portion between the first convex portion of the first roll and the second convex portion of the second roll,
wherein a cross-sectional portion of the first convex portion includes a base portion fixed to an the outer peripheral surface of the first roll, and a top portion opposite the base portion, a width of the top portion being smaller than a width of the base portion, the top portion being a substantially flat portion, and
wherein a cross-sectional portion of the second convex portion includes a base portion and a top portion opposite the base portion, a width of the top portion being smaller than a width of the base portion, the top portion being a substantially flat portion.

11. A post-processing device comprising:
a stack portion that stacks sheets and forms a sheet bundle;
a first roll that has a first convex portion spirally provided on an outer peripheral surface;
a second roll that is provided along the first roll and has a second convex portion that is spirally provided in a position facing the first convex portion of the first roll on the outer peripheral surface; and
a rotating mechanism that rotates the first roll and the second roll and performs a folding process in the sheet bundle while sandwiching the sheet bundle formed in the stack portion between the first convex portion of the first roll and the second convex portion of the second roll,
wherein a cross-sectional portion of the first convex portion includes a base portion fixed to an the outer peripheral surface of the first roll, and a top portion opposite the base portion, a width of the top portion being smaller than a width of the base portion, the top portion being a substantially flat portion, and
wherein a cross-sectional portion of the second convex portion includes a base portion and a top portion opposite the base portion, a width of the top portion being smaller than a width of the base portion, the top portion being a substantially flat portion.

12. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming unit that forms an image on a sheet;
a first roll that has a first convex portion spirally provided on an outer peripheral surface;
a second roll that is provided along the first roll and has a second convex portion that is spirally provided in a position facing the first convex portion of the first roll on the outer peripheral surface; and
a rotating mechanism that rotates the first roll and the second roll and performs a folding process in the sheet while sandwiching the sheet on which the image is formed by the image forming unit between the first convex portion of the first roll and the second convex portion of the second roll,
wherein a cross-sectional portion of the first convex portion includes a base portion fixed to an the outer peripheral surface of the first roll, and a top portion opposite

Assignees

• Fuji Xerox Co Ltd

Inventors

• Awano Hiroaki

Classifications

• B65H27/00

  Special constructions, e.g. surface features, of feed or guide rollers for webs (rollers in general F16C13/00) · CPC title

• B65H2404/1316

  stepped or grooved · CPC title

• B65H2801/27

  Devices located downstream of office-type machines · CPC title

• B65H2404/121

  articulated around axis parallel to roller axis · CPC title

• B65H5/062

  between rollers or balls · CPC title