US4986520A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control method for sorter with stapler
Assignee: Canon Inc
•
Filing: 1990-03-22
•
Granted: 1991-01-22
•
Expires: 2010-03-22
Abstract
Abstract A method of controlling a sheet sorter wherein the sheet sorter includes a plurality of bins for accommodating sheets, the bins being arranged in a vertical direction, a first sheet discharging device for discharging sheets not to be sorted, second sheet discharging device, disposed with a vertical interval from the first sheet discharging device, for discharging sheets to be sorted, bin moving device for moving substantially vertically the bins and stapler device for stapling the sheets, the method includes providing the stapler device adjacent to the second sheet discharging device; accommodating the sheets on the plurality of bins by sequentially opposing the bins to the second sheet discharging device, and stapling the sheets on the bins by the stapler, when a sorting mode is selected; discharging the sheets by the first discharging device and accommodating them on a non-sort bin opposed to the first discharging device when a non-sorting mode is selected, and moving the non-sort bin to a neightborhood of the second discharging device where the sheets thereon are stapled by the stapler device.
Inventors
- 👤 Hironori Shido
- 👤 Jun Saito
- 👤 Masakazu Hiroi
- 👤 Kenji Kobayashi
- 👤 Koichi Murakami
- 👤 Masataka Naito
- 👤 Takeshi Honjo
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 12:01
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: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of controlling a sheet sorter wherein said sheet sorter includes a plurality of bins for accommodating sheets, the bins being arranged in a vertical direction, a first sheet discharging means for discharging sheets not to be sorted, second sheet discharging means for discharging sheets to be sorted, bin moving means for moving substantially vertically the bins and stapler means for stapling the sheets, said method comprising: providing said stapler means adjacent to the second sheet discharging means; accommodating the sheets on the plurality of bins by sequentially opposing the bins to said second sheet discharging means, and, after termination of accommodation to each bin, stapling the sheets on the bins by the stapler by sequentially opposing the bins to said stapler, when a sorting mode is selected; and discharging the sheets by said first discharging means and accommodating them on a non-sort bin opposed to said first discharging means when a non-sort mode is selected, and, after termination of accommodation to said non-sort bin, moving the non-sort bin to a neighborhood of the second discharging means where the sheets thereon are stapled by the stapler means.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
188 words
A method of controlling a sheet sorter wherein said sheet sorter includes a plurality of bins for accommodating sheets, the bins being arranged in a vertical direction, a first sheet discharging means for discharging sheets not to be sorted, second sheet discharging means for discharging sheets to be sorted, bin moving means for moving substantially vertically the bins and stapler means for stapling the sheets, said method comprising: providing said stapler means adjacent to the second sheet discharging means; accommodating the sheets on the plurality of bins by sequentially opposing the bins to said second sheet discharging means, and, after termination of accommodation to each bin, stapling the sheets on the bins by the stapler by sequentially opposing the bins to said stapler, when a sorting mode is selected; and discharging the sheets by said first discharging means and accommodating them on a non-sort bin opposed to said first discharging means when a non-sort mode is selected, and, after termination of accommodation to said non-sort bin, moving the non-sort bin to a neighborhood of the second discharging means where the sheets thereon are stapled by the stapler means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
A method according to claim 1, further comprising providing aligning means actable on all of the bins, wherein the aligning means aligns the sheet each time it is discharged on a bin.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
241 words
A method of controlling a sheet sorter wherein said sheet sorter includes a plurality of bins for accommodating sheets, the bins being arranged in a vertical direction, a first sheet discharging means for discharging sheets not to be sorted, second sheet discharging means, for discharging sheets to be sorted, bin moving means for moving substantially vertically the bins, stapler means for stapling the sheets and switching means for manually operating the stapler means, said method comprising: providing said stapler means adjacent to the second sheet discharging means; accommodating the sheets on the plurality of bins by sequentially opposing the bins to said second sheet discharging means, and, after termination of accommodation to each bin, stapling the sheets on the bins by the stapler by sequentially opposing the bins to said stapler, when a sorting mode is selected; discharging the sheets by said first discharging means and accommodating them on a non-sort bin opposed to said first discharging means when a non-sort mode is selected, and, after termination of accommodation to said non-sort bin, moving the non-sort bin to a neighborhood of the second discharging means where the sheets thereon are stapled by the stapler means when an automatic stapling mode is selected; and after termimation of accommodation to the non-sort bin, moving the non-sort bin to the stapler means where the sheets thereon are stapled when the automatic stapling mode is not selected but when the switching means has been actuated.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
241 words
A method of controlling a sheet sorter wherein said sheet sorter includes a plurality of bins for accommodating sheets, the bins being arranged in a vertical direction, a first sheet discharging means for discharging sheets not to be sorted, second sheet discharging means, for discharging sheets to be sorted, bin moving means for moving substantially vertically the bins, stapler means for stapling the sheets and switching means for manually operating the stapler means, said method comprising: providing said stapler means adjacent to the second sheet discharging means; accommodating the sheets on the plurality of bins by sequentially opposing the bins to said second sheet discharging means, and, after termination of accommodation to each bin, stapling the sheets on the bins by the stapler by sequentially opposing the bins to said stapler, when a sorting mode is selected; discharging the sheets by said first discharging means and accommodating them on a non-sort bin opposed to said first discharging means when a non-sort mode is selected, and, after termination of accommodation to said non-sort bin, moving the non-sort bin to a neighborhood of the second discharging means where the sheets thereon are stapled by the stapler means when an automatic stapling mode is selected; and after termimation of accommodation to the non-sort bin, moving the non-sort bin to the stapler means where the sheets thereon are stapled when the automatic stapling mode is not selected but when the switching means has been actuated.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method according to claim 3, further comprising providing aligning means wherein the sheets in the non-sort bin as well as the sheets in the sort bins are aligned by the aligning means.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
212 words
A sorter apparatus, comprising: a plurality of bins for accommodating sheets, the bins being arranged in a vertical direction; a first sheet discharging means for discharging sheets not be be sorted; second sheet discharging means for discharging sheets to be sorted; bin moving means for moving substantially vertically the bins; stapler means for stapling the sheets adjacent to the second sheet discharging means; means for accommodating the sheets on the plurality of bins by sequentially opposing the bins to said second sheet discharging means, and, after termination of accommodation to each bin, stapling the sheets on the bins by the stapler by sequentially opposing the bins to said stapler, when a sorting mode is selected; means for discharging the sheets by said first discharging means and accommodating them on a non-sort bin opposed to said first discharging means when a non-sort mode is selected, and moving, after termination of accommodation to said non-sort bin, the non-sort bin to a neighborhood of the second discharging means where the sheets thereon are stapled by the stapler means; and manually operable staple switching means for moving the non-sort bin to the stapler means and stapling the sheets thereon after sheets are accommodated in the non-sort bin when the automatic stapling mode has not been selected.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
212 words
A sorter apparatus, comprising: a plurality of bins for accommodating sheets, the bins being arranged in a vertical direction; a first sheet discharging means for discharging sheets not be be sorted; second sheet discharging means for discharging sheets to be sorted; bin moving means for moving substantially vertically the bins; stapler means for stapling the sheets adjacent to the second sheet discharging means; means for accommodating the sheets on the plurality of bins by sequentially opposing the bins to said second sheet discharging means, and, after termination of accommodation to each bin, stapling the sheets on the bins by the stapler by sequentially opposing the bins to said stapler, when a sorting mode is selected; means for discharging the sheets by said first discharging means and accommodating them on a non-sort bin opposed to said first discharging means when a non-sort mode is selected, and moving, after termination of accommodation to said non-sort bin, the non-sort bin to a neighborhood of the second discharging means where the sheets thereon are stapled by the stapler means; and manually operable staple switching means for moving the non-sort bin to the stapler means and stapling the sheets thereon after sheets are accommodated in the non-sort bin when the automatic stapling mode has not been selected.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising aligning means for aligning the sheets in the non-sort bin as well as the sheets in the sort bins.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3685712A
Cited
US3884408A
Cited
US3994427A
Cited
US4134672A
Cited
US4295733A
Cited
JPS58220053A
Cited
EP0099250A1
Cited
US4497478A
Cited
GB2126997A
Cited
JPS5986551A
Cited
US4684241A
Cited
US4709915A
Cited
US4566782A
Cited
US4627706A
Cited
US4787616A
Cited
US4687191A
Cited
US4681310A
Cited
JPS62119069A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-01-21 | 1994-07-23 | 1995-01-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-01-21 | 1998-07-23 | 1999-01-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-01-21 | 2002-07-23 | 2003-01-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |