Claims
- 1. An apparatus for folding and binding a media sheet, the media sheet having imaging material applied thereto and activated in a binding region, the apparatus comprising:a buckle chute; a binder downstream in the paper path from the buckle chute, the binder operative to reactivate imaging material applied to the binding region of the media sheet; an input driver proximate to the buckle chute and upstream in the paper path from the buckle chute, the input driver operative to direct the media sheet into the buckle chute and, in cooperation with the buckle chute, buckle the media sheet along a fold line; and an exit driver proximate to the buckle chute and downstream in the paper path from the buckle chute between the buckle chute and the binder, the exit driver operative to receive the media sheet from the buckle chute, fold the media sheet along the fold line and direct the folded sheet towards the binder.
- 2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the imaging material is toner and the binder comprises a toner fuser.
- 3. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising an adjustable stop disposed in the buckle chute to variably limit the depth of the chute.
- 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input driver comprises a first pair of rollers forming a first nip therebetween through which the media sheet is directed into the buckle chute and the exit driver comprises a second pair of rollers forming a second nip therebetween through which the media sheet is received from the buckle chute, folded and directed towards the binder.
- 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the buckle chute is a single buckle chute and the input driver comprises first and second rollers forming a first nip therebetween through which the media sheet is directed into the buckle chute and the exit driver comprises the second roller and a third roller forming a second nip therebetween through which the media sheet is received from the buckle chute, folded and directed towards the binder.
- 6. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fuser comprises a heated fusing roller and a pressure roller disposed immediately adjacent the fusing roller, heat and pressure being applied to at least the binding region of the folded media sheet as it passes between the rollers.
- 7. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the fuser comprises a heated fusing roller and a pressure roller disposed immediately adjacent the fusing roller, heat and pressure being applied to only the binding region of the folded media sheet as it passes between the rollers.
- 8. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the heated fusing roller includes a center portion and first and second end portions disposed at opposite ends of the center portion, each end portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of the center portion for applying heat and pressure only at the end portions of the roller.
- 9. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of punches spaced around the end portions of the heated fuser roller, the punches configured to perforate the media sheet as the folded sheet passes between the fuser roller and the pressure roller.
- 10. The apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a plurality of punches spaced around end portions of the pressure roller, the punches configured to perforate the media sheet as the folded sheet passes between the fuser roller and the pressure roller.
- 11. An apparatus for folding and binding a media sheet, the media sheet having imaging material applied thereto and activated in a binding region, the apparatus comprising:a first buckle chute; a second buckle chute; a binder downstream in the paper path from the second buckle chute, the binder operative to reactivate imaging material applied to the binding region of the media sheet; an input driver proximate to the first buckle chute and upstream in the paper path from the first buckle chute, the input driver operative to direct the media sheet into the first buckle chute and, in cooperation with the first buckle chute, buckle the media-sheet along a first fold line; an intermediate driver proximate to the first and second buckle chutes and downstream in the paper path from the first buckle chute between the first and second buckle chutes, the intermediate driver operative to receive the media sheet from the first buckle chute, fold the sheet along the first fold line, direct the once folded media sheet into the second buckle chute, and then, in cooperation with the second buckle chute, buckle the once folded media sheet along a second fold line; and an exit driver proximate to the second buckle chute and downstream in the paper path from the second buckle chute between the second buckle chute and the binder, the exit driver operative to receive the once folded media sheet from the second buckle chute, fold the once folded media sheet along the second fold line and direct the twice folded media sheet to the binder.
- 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the imaging material is toner and the binder comprises a toner fuser.
- 13. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an adjustable stop disposed in each buckle chute to variably limit the depth of the chute.
- 14. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:the input driver comprises first and second rollers forming a first nip therebetween through which the media sheet is directed into the first buckle chute; the intermediate driver comprises the second roller and a third roller forming a second nip therebetween through which the media sheet is received from the first buckle chute, folded and directed to the second buckle chute; and the exit driver comprises the second roller and a fourth roller forming a third nip therebetween through which the media sheet is received from the second buckle chute, folded and directed to the binder.
- 15. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising one or more additional buckle chutes and one or more additional intermediate drivers, each additional intermediate driver operative to receive the media sheet from the preceding buckle chute, fold the sheet, direct the folded media sheet into the next buckle chute, and then, in cooperation with that buckle chute, buckle the folded media sheet along another fold line.
- 16. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the fuser comprises a heated fusing roller and a pressure roller disposed immediately adjacent the fusing roller, heat and pressure being applied to at least the binding region of the folded media sheet as it passes between the rollers.
- 17. The apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the fuser comprises a heated fusing roller and a pressure roller disposed immediately adjacent the fusing roller, heat and pressure being applied to only the binding region of the folded media sheet as it passes between the rollers.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 09/320,060 filed May 26, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6394028 titled Binding Sheet Media Using Imaging Material.
US Referenced Citations (6)
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0514699 |
Nov 1992 |
EP |
1057654 |
Dec 2000 |
EP |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09/320060 |
May 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/495426 |
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US |