Patent EP0301596A2 successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0301596A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sheet sorting apparatus with a stapler
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1988-07-29
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2008-07-29
Abstract
Abstract A sheet sorting apparatus (1) with a stapler (45) includes a plurality of bin trays (B) which are arranged substantially vertically with predetermined clearances between adjacent bin trays, which are inclined to provide an inclined sheet receiving surfaces and which are independently movable substantially in the vertical direction, wherein the bin trays (B) are so disposed that between those ends of adjacent ones of the bin trays which are closer to the sheet inlet are deviated when seen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface; bin tray shifting device for moving the plurality of the bin trays (B) stepwisely substantially in the vertical direction to oppose the respective bin trays (B) to a sheet inlet (10) of the sorting apparatus (1); stapling device, disposed substantially on an extension of the inclined sheet receiving surface and having a stapling head (45a) movable to above the sheet receiving surface and an anvil movable to below the sheet receiving surface, for stapling the sheets interposed between the stapling head (45a) and the anvil; and a second shifting device for shifting the bin tray immediately above the bin tray opposed to the stapling device in a direction increasing the deviation, wherein the stapling head (45a) is moved using a space provided by the deviation, and wherein the expanded clearance is smaller than a height of the stapling head (45a).
Inventors
- 👤 Hironori Shido
- 👤 Jun Saito
- 👤 Masakazu Hiroi
- 👤 Kenji Kobayashi
- 👤 Koichi Murakami
- 👤 Masataka Naito
- 👤 Takeshi Honjo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 09:23
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03G; G03G15/00; G03G15/65; G03G15/6538; G03G15/6541; B; B42; B42B; B42B4/00; B42C; B42C1/00; B42C1/12; B42C1/125; B65; B65H; B65H31/00; B65H31/34; B65H31/36; B65H39/00; B65H39/10; B65H39/11; B65H43/00; B65H2403/00; B65H2403/50; B65H2403/51; B65H2403/511; B65H2408/00; B65H2408/10; B65H2408/11; B65H2408/113; B65H2408/114; B65H2408/1141; G03G2215/00; G03G2215/00362; G03G2215/00789; G03G2215/00822; G03G2215/00827
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
216 words
A sheet sorting apparatus with a stapler, comprising: a plurality of bin trays which are arranged substantially vertically with predetermined clearances between adjacent bin trays, which are inclined to provide an inclined sheet receiving surfaces and which are independently movable substantially in the vertical direction, wherein said bin trays are so disposed that between those ends of adjacent ones of said bin trays which are closer to the sheet inlet are deviated when seen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface; bin tray shifting means for moving said plurality of the bin trays stepwisely substantially in the vertical direction to oppose the respective bin trays to a sheet inlet of said sorting apparatus; stapling means, disposed substantially on an extension of the inclined sheet receiving surface and having a stapling head movable to above the sheet receiving surface and an anvil movable to below the sheet receiving surface, for stapling the sheets interposed between the stapling head and the anvil; and a second shifting means for shifting the bin tray immediately above the bin tray opposed to said stapling means in a direction increasing the deviation, wherein the stapling head is moved using a space provided by the deviation, and wherein said expanded clearance is smaller than a height of the stapling head.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
216 words
A sheet sorting apparatus with a stapler, comprising: a plurality of bin trays which are arranged substantially vertically with predetermined clearances between adjacent bin trays, which are inclined to provide an inclined sheet receiving surfaces and which are independently movable substantially in the vertical direction, wherein said bin trays are so disposed that between those ends of adjacent ones of said bin trays which are closer to the sheet inlet are deviated when seen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface; bin tray shifting means for moving said plurality of the bin trays stepwisely substantially in the vertical direction to oppose the respective bin trays to a sheet inlet of said sorting apparatus; stapling means, disposed substantially on an extension of the inclined sheet receiving surface and having a stapling head movable to above the sheet receiving surface and an anvil movable to below the sheet receiving surface, for stapling the sheets interposed between the stapling head and the anvil; and a second shifting means for shifting the bin tray immediately above the bin tray opposed to said stapling means in a direction increasing the deviation, wherein the stapling head is moved using a space provided by the deviation, and wherein said expanded clearance is smaller than a height of the stapling head.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
237 words
A sheet sorting apparatus with a stapler, comprising: a plurality of bin trays which are arranged substantially vertically with predetermined clearances between adjacent bin trays, which are inclined to provide an inclined sheet receiving surfaces and which are independently movable substantially in the vertical direction, wherein said bin trays are so disposed that between those ends of adjacent ones of said bin trays which are closer to the sheet inlet are deviated when seen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface; bin tray shifting means for moving said plurality of the bin trays stepwisely substantially in the vertical direction to oppose the respective bin trays to a sheet inlet of said sorting apparatus; a shaft extending substantially perpendicularly to an extension of the inclined sheet receiving surface; stapling means, supported rotatably about said shaft and having a stapling head movable to above the sheet receiving surface in a lateral direction by rotation about said shaft and an anvil movable to below the sheet receiving surface by the rotation, for stapling the sheets interposed between the stapling head and the anvil; and a second shifting means for shifting the bin tray immediately above the bin tray opposed to said stapling means in a direction increasing the deviation, wherein the stapling head is laterally moved using a space provided by the deviation, and wherein said expanded clearance is smaller than a height of the stapling head.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
237 words
A sheet sorting apparatus with a stapler, comprising: a plurality of bin trays which are arranged substantially vertically with predetermined clearances between adjacent bin trays, which are inclined to provide an inclined sheet receiving surfaces and which are independently movable substantially in the vertical direction, wherein said bin trays are so disposed that between those ends of adjacent ones of said bin trays which are closer to the sheet inlet are deviated when seen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface; bin tray shifting means for moving said plurality of the bin trays stepwisely substantially in the vertical direction to oppose the respective bin trays to a sheet inlet of said sorting apparatus; a shaft extending substantially perpendicularly to an extension of the inclined sheet receiving surface; stapling means, supported rotatably about said shaft and having a stapling head movable to above the sheet receiving surface in a lateral direction by rotation about said shaft and an anvil movable to below the sheet receiving surface by the rotation, for stapling the sheets interposed between the stapling head and the anvil; and a second shifting means for shifting the bin tray immediately above the bin tray opposed to said stapling means in a direction increasing the deviation, wherein the stapling head is laterally moved using a space provided by the deviation, and wherein said expanded clearance is smaller than a height of the stapling head.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
281 words
A sheet sorting apparatus with a stapler, comprising: a plurality of bin trays which are arranged substantially vertically with predetermined clearances between adjacent bin trays, which are inclined to provide an inclined sheet receiving surfaces and which are independently movable substantially in the vertical direction, wherein said bin trays are so disposed that between those ends of adjacent ones of said bin trays which are closer to the sheet inlet are deviated when seen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface; bin tray shifting means for moving said plurality of the bin trays stepwisely substantially in the vertical direction to oppose the respective bin trays to a sheet inlet of said sorting apparatus, while expanding the clearance between the bin tray opposed to the sheet inlet and an upper adjacent bin tray and between the bin tray opposed to the sheet inlet and a lower adjacent bin tray to provide a larger clearance than said predetermined clearances; a shaft extending substantially perpendicularly to an extension of the inclined sheet receiving surface; stapling means, supported rotatably about said shaft and having a stapling head movable to above the sheet receiving surface in a lateral direction by rotation about said shaft and an anvil movable to below the sheet receiving surface by the rotation, for stapling the sheets interposed between the stapling head and the anvil; and a second shifting means for shifting the bin tray immediately above the bin tray opposed to said stapling means in a direction increasing the deviation, wherein the stapling head is laterally moved using a space provided by the deviation, and wherein said expanded clearance is smaller than a height of the stapling head.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
281 words
A sheet sorting apparatus with a stapler, comprising: a plurality of bin trays which are arranged substantially vertically with predetermined clearances between adjacent bin trays, which are inclined to provide an inclined sheet receiving surfaces and which are independently movable substantially in the vertical direction, wherein said bin trays are so disposed that between those ends of adjacent ones of said bin trays which are closer to the sheet inlet are deviated when seen in a direction substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface; bin tray shifting means for moving said plurality of the bin trays stepwisely substantially in the vertical direction to oppose the respective bin trays to a sheet inlet of said sorting apparatus, while expanding the clearance between the bin tray opposed to the sheet inlet and an upper adjacent bin tray and between the bin tray opposed to the sheet inlet and a lower adjacent bin tray to provide a larger clearance than said predetermined clearances; a shaft extending substantially perpendicularly to an extension of the inclined sheet receiving surface; stapling means, supported rotatably about said shaft and having a stapling head movable to above the sheet receiving surface in a lateral direction by rotation about said shaft and an anvil movable to below the sheet receiving surface by the rotation, for stapling the sheets interposed between the stapling head and the anvil; and a second shifting means for shifting the bin tray immediately above the bin tray opposed to said stapling means in a direction increasing the deviation, wherein the stapling head is laterally moved using a space provided by the deviation, and wherein said expanded clearance is smaller than a height of the stapling head.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to Claim 2, wherein said bin shifting means includes helical cam means for substantially vertically moving said bin trays by its rotation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein said second shifting means also function as means for guiding the bin trays in the substantial vertical direction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein said guiding means is deviated at a level opposed to the sheet inlet is shifted to provide the deviation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
An apparatus according to Claim 4, wherein the helical cam means include a helical groove which moves said bin tray through half a height of said cam means by its one full rotation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said bin trays are inclined downwardly toward the sheet inlet, and said stapler is disposed adjacent the sheet inlet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
An apparatus according to Claim 8, further comprising stopper means disposed adjacent the sheet inlet to align ends of the sheet on said bin trays.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
An apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said bin trays are provided with cut-away portions at corners adjacent to said stapling means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
An apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein said stopper is substantially perpendicular to the sheet receiving surface.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the stapler head is substantially vertically movable.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
26 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein those end portions of said bin trays which are remote from the sheet inlet are rotatably and slidably supported.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to Claim 13, wherein the end portions of the bin trays and those end portions which are close to the sheet inlet are both movable substantially vertically.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
20 words
An apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein said stapling means is disposed at a level corresponding to the sheet inlet.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
45 words
An apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein two of said cam means are disposed at lateral sides of the bin with respect to a direction of sheet discharge, said cam means have respective helical groovs directed in opposite directions and are rotated in opposite directions.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.