Patent · US Expired

Apparatus and method for Z-folding sheets

US5980444A · kind A · utility

15Cited by
2References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 24, 1997
Grant dateNov 9, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 24, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
  • CPC primaryB65H45/20
  • WIPO fieldHandling
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A pivotedly mounted pressure roller unit, associated with which is a folding roller pair, is arranged on the transport path of a sheet to be folded. The pressure roller unit has a first and a second roller group, having rollers offset alternatingly eccentrically with respect to one another and mounted in independently rotatable fashion, which coact with the folding rolls in such a way that simultaneously, the rollers of the first roller group can be laid nonpositively against the one folding roller, and the rollers of the other roller group against the other folding roller. The transport speed (v.sub.2) of the folding rolls can be reduced to a lower transport speed (v.sub.1), thus causing a transport roller pair driven at an unchanging transport speed to bulge the sheet into an arc prior to entry into the folding rolls. By pivoting the pressure roller unit against the folding rolls, the arc and the trailing end of the sheet are transported simultaneously by the pressure roller unit. Once the folding rolls have grasped the trailing sheet end, the pressure roller unit is pivoted away and the folds in the sheet are made.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.