Sheet folding apparatus

Abstract

A sheet conveying section (B) sequentially conveys a sheet (P) from a sheet feeding section (A), and a sheet folding section (D) folds the sheet (P) received from the sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction. The sheet conveying section (B) comprises a conveyer belt (3), and a positioning ruler (4) for positioning the sheet (P) while it is conveyed. The sheet folding section (D) comprises a folding knife (9), a pair of folding rollers (10), and first and second guides (11a, 11b) arranged on either side of the folding knife (9). The sheet (p) is positioned to a fold position by the first and second guides (11a, 11b) and folded by the folding knife (9) and the folding roller (10). The positioning ruler (4) is moved in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by a first driving mechanism (5, 6). The first and second guides (11a) are moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction respectively by second and third driving mechanisms (21, 22; 23, 24). Control section (32) moves the first and second guides (11a, 11b) in conjunction with the movement of the positioning ruler (4) and moves the second guide (11b) with conjunction with the movement of the first guide (11a) and allows the independent movement of the second guide (11b).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating a schematic structure of a sheet folding apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a schematic structure of a sheet folding apparatus in accordance with the other embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a plan view illustrating a schematic structure of a conventional sheet folding apparatus.

Claims

1. A sheet folding apparatus comprising: a sheet feeding section (A) sequentially discharging a sheet (P) from a sheet bundle; a sheet conveying section (B) conveying the sheet (P) fed from said sheet feeding section (A); and a sheet folding section (D) folding the sheet (P) received from said sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction,said sheet conveying section (B) having a conveyer belt (3) arranged at an angle to the conveying direction for conveying the sheet (P) and a positioning ruler (4) arranged parallel with the conveying direction for positioning the sheet (P) while the sheet (P) is conveyed,said sheet folding section (D) having a folding knife (9) extending along the conveying direction, a pair of folding rollers (10) arranged underneath said folding knife (9) and extending along the folding knife, and first and second guides (11a) and (11b) arranged on either side of said folding knife (9) at a spacing therebetween and parallel with said folding knife (9), whereby the sheet (P) is pressed by said second guide (11b) at its one side so as to be abutted on said first guide (11a) at its other side so as to be positioned at a fold position, and the sheet (P) is folded by said folding knife (9) and said pair of folding rollers (10),said sheet folding apparatus characterized bya first driving mechanism (5, 6) moving said positioning ruler (4) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction;a second driving mechanism (21, 22) moving said first guide (11a) in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction;a third driving mechanism (23, 24) moving said second guide (11b) in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction; anda control section (32) controlling said first driving mechanism (5, 6), said second driving mechanism (21, 22) and said third driving mechanism (23, 24),when said positioning ruler (4) is moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said control section (32) moving said first and second guides (11a, 11b) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said positioning ruler (4) in the same direction as that of said positioning ruler (24), and when said positioning ruler (4) is not moved and said first guide (11a) is moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said control section (32) moving said second guide (11b) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said first guide (11a) in the same direction as that of said first guide (11a), and said control section (32) allowing an independent movement of said second guide (11b) in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.

2. A sheet folding apparatus comprising: a sheet feeding section (A) sequentially discharging a sheet (P) from a sheet bundle; a sheet conveying section (B) conveying the sheet (P) fed from said sheet feeding section (A); and a sheet folding section (D) folding the sheet (P) received from said sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction,said sheet conveying section (B) having a conveyer belt (3) arranged at an angle to the conveying direction for conveying the sheet (P) and a positioning ruler (4) arranged parallel with the conveying direction for positioning the sheet (P) while the sheet (P) is conveyed,said sheet folding section (D) having a folding knife (9) extending along the conveying direction, a pair of folding rollers (10) arranged underneath said folding knife (9) and extending along the folding knife, a first stopper (12) extending perpendicularly to the conveying direction and first and second guides (11a) and (11b) arranged on either side of said folding knife (9) at a spacing therebetween and parallel with said folding knife (9), whereby the sheet (P) is abutted on said first stopper (12) at its leading edge and pressed by said second guide (11b) at its one side so as to be abutted on said first guide (11a) at its other side so as to be positioned at a fold position, and the sheet (P) is folded by said folding knife (9) and said pair of folding rollers (10),said sheet folding apparatus characterized bya first driving mechanism (5, 6) moving said positioning ruler (4) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction; anda second driving mechanism (13, 14, 25, 26, 30a, 30b) moving said first stopper (12) in the conveying direction and the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said first and second guides (11a) and (11b) being fixed to said first stopper (12);a control section (32) controlling said first driving mechanism (5, 6) and said second driving mechanism (13, 14, 25, 26, 30a, 30b),when said positioning ruler (4) is moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said control section (32) moving said first stopper (12) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said positioning ruler in the same direction as that of said positioning ruler (4).

3. The sheet folding apparatus as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said sheet folding apparatus further comprises: a second sheet folding section (E) arranged adjacent to said sheet folding section (D) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction for folding the sheet (P) received from said sheet folding section (D) along a second conveying direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said second sheet folding section (E) having a second folding knife (15) extending along the second conveying direction, a pair of second folding rollers (16) arranged underneath said second folding knife (15) and extending along said second folding knife (15), a second stopper (18) extending perpendicularly to the second conveying direction, and third and fourth guides (17a) and (17b) arranged on either side of said second folding knife (15) at a spacing therebetween and parallel with said second folding knife (15), whereby the sheet (P) is abutted on said second stopper (18) at its leading edge and pressed by said fourth guide (17b) at its one side so as to be abutted on said third guide (17a) at its other side so as to be positioned at a fold position, and the sheet (P) is folded by said second folding knife (15) and said pair of second folding rollers (16); anda third driving mechanism (19, 20, 27, 28, 31a, 31b) moving said second stopper (18) in the second conveying direction and a direction perpendicular to the second conveying direction, said third and fourth guides (17a) and (17b) being fixed to said second stopper (18),said control section (32) controlling a motion of said third driving mechanism (19, 20, 27, 28, 31a, 31b) so as to move said second stopper (18) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said first stopper (12) in the same direction as that of said first stopper (12) at a time when said first stopper (12) is moved in the conveying direction and to allow an independent movement of said second stopper (18) in the second conveying direction.