Thick media folding method

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6808479
  • Patent Number
    6,808,479
  • Date Filed
    Friday, October 5, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, October 26, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
A system for folding sheet material, including a fold blade, two fold rollers biased away from each other, an adjusting member which alters a distance between the two fold rollers, and first drive means for moving at least one of the fold blade and the two fold rollers along a first path to position the fold blade between the two fold rollers.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




1. Field of the Invention




The present invention relates generally to processing sheet material and, more particularly, to a sheet folding apparatus using two fold rollers that are biased away from another and an adjusting member to alter the distance between the fold rollers.




2. Background Information




Several systems for folding material are known in the art where the characteristics of particular folding components are adjustable. For instance, self-adjusting components are included in the system described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,620 (Ebner et al.), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated in its entirety. In the Ebner patent, a stack of sheets is pushed between a pair of pre-folding rollers and a pair of folding rollers by a folding knife. One half of each roller pair is spring-loaded towards and pivots away from the other half when a stack of sheets is introduced by the folding knife. While such a system allows for some automatic adjustment, much force is needed to force a stack of sheets (i.e., made up of more than one sheet) between the rollers. Also, the Ebner patent may not be able to produce sharply defined folds, as the roller pairs may not be equipped with enough spring force to do so.




A system for finishing printed sheets into booklets is described in PCT Document No. WO 00/18583 (Trovinger et al.). The Trovinger PCT includes an operation where individual booklet sheets are folded using two drive motor assemblies. A first vertical drive motor assembly operates to immobilize a sheet by pressing it against a fold blade with a folder assembly. This first vertical drive motor assembly moves a set of fold rollers into contact with both the sheet and a longitudinal fold blade. The axes of rotation for the fold rollers are perpendicular to the fold blade used to fold each sheet. A second horizontal drive motor then operates to deform the sheet against the fold blade by reciprocating the set of fold rollers, which have been placed into contact with the sheet, back and forth along the fold blade to in effect crease the sheet. The number and spacing of these rollers are such that during horizontal movement of the fold rollers, at least one fold roller passes over every point along the portion of a sheet where a fold is to be formed.




The Trovinger PCT also describes the use of self-adjusting, v-shaped fold rollers, each of which include two complementary disks that are spring-loaded towards each other on a common axle. However, rollers of this configuration may not be able to produce a sharply defined fold, as described above with respect to the Ebner patent.




It would be desirable to provide for precise folding of a wide range of sheet materials where a distance between fold rollers can be easily selected and rigidly fixed.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an apparatus that folds sheet material by adjusting a distance between two fold rollers biased away from each other with an adjusting member and by positioning a fold blade between the fold rollers. In this way, variable media thickness can be accommodated while producing sharp folds.




According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system for folding sheet material is provided, including a fold blade, two fold rollers biased away from each other, an adjusting member which alters a distance between the two fold rollers, and first drive means for moving at least one of the fold blade and the two fold rollers along a first path to position the fold blade between the two fold rollers.




According to another embodiment of the present invention, a method for folding a sheet of material is provided, including the steps of feeding a sheet material into an area between two fold rollers and a fold blade, adjusting a distance between the two fold rollers, wherein the two fold rollers are biased away from each other, and moving the two fold rollers and the fold blade relative to one another to form a fold in the sheet using the fold blade.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like elements have been represented by like reference numerals and wherein:





FIGS. 1A and 1B

illustrate perspective views of a folding apparatus in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;





FIGS. 2A and 2B

illustrate a frontal view of components of a folding apparatus in accordance with the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 1A and 1B

;





FIGS. 3A and 3B

illustrate detailed views of the folding apparatus in accordance with the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 2A and 2B

; and





FIG. 4

illustrates a detailed view of a folding apparatus in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION




A system for folding sheet material is represented as folding apparatus


100


in

FIGS. 1A and 1B

. The exemplary folding apparatus


100


includes a fold blade, such as fold blade


104


having a longitudinal axis along the x-axis of FIG.


1


A. Fold blade


104


is shown to be held by a blade holder


134


, but can alternatively be held by any other stabilizing structure or can be manufactured with blade holder


134


as a unitary component. Fold blade


104


can be fixed or can alternatively be movable (for example, along rails


128


in the y-axis of

FIG. 1A

, or along any desired axis). Fold blade


104


can be made of metal (such as stainless steel) or any other formable material, and can be shaped as a flat strip or can include a rounded shape, these example being non-limiting, of course.




Folding apparatus


100


also includes two fold rollers biased away from each other, such as fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


. In the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 1A and 1B

, fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


operate together to form a grooved fold roller pair


106


and a fold groove


150


. Folding apparatus


100


can include any number of roller pairs


106


(and therefore any number of fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


). Rollers


106




a


and


106




b


rotate about an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of fold blade


104


and, in the

FIG. 1A

example, this axis of rotation is along the z-axis and the longitudinal axis of fold blade


104


is along the x-axis. Rollers


106




a


and


106




b


can be made of metal or any other formable material, and can be coated with an elastomeric or deformable material such as an elastomer. Rollers


106




a


and


106




b


can be circular in cross-section (as shown in FIGS.


1


A and


1


B), or can alternatively have any other cross-sectional shape that can operate with fold blade


104


to create a fold in sheet material. A frontal view of housing


102


and rollers


106




a


and


106




b


is shown in

FIGS. 2A and 2B

, where these elements are represented by housing


202


and rollers


206




a


and


206




b.






Also provided is an adjusting member, such as adjusting member


172


in

FIG. 1A

, which alters a distance between the two fold rollers. In the

FIG. 1A

example, adjusting member


172


includes first and second inclined components, numbered


174


and


176


, respectively. A single adjusting member


272


is shown to connected to fold roller


206




b


in corresponding

FIGS. 2A and 2B

, but, of course, adjusting member


272


can be alternatively connected to fold roller


206




a


. Also, both fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


can be connected to two separate adjusting members similar to adjusting member


272


. Adjusting member


172


is represented in

FIGS. 3A and 3B

as element


372


, which includes inclined components


374


and


376


. Alternatively, adjusting member


172


is represented in

FIG. 4

as element


472


, which includes a stepped surface


480


that interfaces with a pin


478


. In all of the exemplary embodiments, adjusting member


272


can be made of metal, plastic, or any other formable material. Also, second inclined component


376


(and also adjusting member


472


) can directly contact fold rollers


306




b


(and


406




b


), or can contact them indirectly by any conventional or other means that facilitate a relative sliding motion (e.g., smooth plastic separators).




A first drive means is provided for moving at least one of the fold blade and the two fold rollers along a first path to position the fold blade between the two fold rollers. In the exemplary embodiment shown in

FIGS. 1A and 1B

, the first drive means is represented by first drive assembly


112


, which includes a lead screw (represented by one of lead screws


128


), where a rotation of the lead screw in a first direction is operable to move the fold roller against the fold blade to create a fold in a sheet material. First drive assembly


112


also includes first motor


114


and belts


132




a


and


132




b


. First motor


114


can be of any conventional type (such as electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic), or can alternatively be of any other type. The exemplary lead screws


128


can be rotated by first motor


114


via drive belts


132




a


and


132




b


or alternatively by any other power transmitting element, such as a chain. Also, first drive assembly


112


can alternatively be formed as any other actuating system, such as, but not limited to, four-bar linkages, slider-crank mechanisms, pulleys and belts, rack and pinions, and linear actuators (e.g., soleniods, linear electric motors, and hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders).




As first motor


114


is driven by a power supply and controlled by, for example, a controller, lead screws


128


rotate and cause brackets


130


to move along the y-axis, the direction of their movement dependent on the direction of rotation of the lead screws


128


. Housing


102


is connected to brackets


130




a


and


130




b


by rods


126


and thereby translates along the y-axis when first motor


114


is driven. Housing


102


has a longitudinal axis in the x-axis and can be made of any formable material, such as, but not limited to, metal or plastic.




Also provided in the exemplary folding apparatus


100


is a second drive means (such as second drive assembly


108


) for moving the two fold rollers along a longitudinal axis of the fold blade. Second drive assembly


108


includes second motor


110


(mounted on bracket


130




a


), gear assembly


154


, and lead screw


144


. Second motor


110


can, of course, be alternatively mounted on bracket


130




b


or on another component. As with first motor


114


, second motor


110


can be of any conventional type (such as electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic), or can be of any other type. The exemplary lead screw


144


can be rotated by second motor


110


via gear assembly


154


or alternatively by any other power transmitting element, such as a chain. Also, second drive assembly


108


can alternatively be formed as any other actuating system, such as, but not limited to, four-bar linkages, slider-crank mechanisms, pulleys and belts, rack and pinions, and linear actuators (e.g., soleniods, linear electric motors, and hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders). As second motor


110


is driven by a power supply and controlled by, for example, a controller, lead screw


144


rotates and causes housing


102


to move along rods


126


in the x-axis, with the direction of its movement (i.e., in the +x or −x direction) dependent on the direction of rotation of lead screw


144


. As fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


are rotatably mounted to housing


102


by roller axle


142


, operation of second motor


110


moves fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


along the longitudinal axis (i.e., the x-axis) of fold blade


104


.




In the exemplary folding apparatus


100


, the fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


of each fold roller pair


106


are biased from each other by a spring, such as spring


256


shown in

FIGS. 2A and 2B

. Spring


256


is positioned within roller axle


260


, which can be formed as a telescoping cylinder as in known in the art (e.g., as one component partially nested in the other). Spring


256


can therefore by positioned between the fold rollers


106




a


and


106




b


or can be located at any position along roller axle


260


, as long as a biasing function is performed. Spring


256


(along with corresponding springs


356


and


456


) can be a single spring, or can alternatively be of any number. Also, the spring rate of spring


256


can be within any range that allows relatively simple adjustment of adjusting member


272


. Additionally, spring


256


can be in the form of a coil spring (as shown in

FIGS. 2A and 2B

) or can alternatively be formed as any other biasing means (e.g., a component including an elastic material such as rubber).




In the exemplary embodiment of

FIGS. 2A and 2B

, the two fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


are rotatably mounted on a common roller axle, such as roller axle


260


. As shown in

FIG. 2A

, roller axle


260


is attached at either end to housing


202


, with spring


256


positioned within roller axle


260


. Alternatively, each fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


can be rotatably mounted on separate roller axles, e.g., on two concentric roller axles. Roller


206




a


can be positioned directly against an inner surface of housing


202


, or can come in contact with a support


286


(as shown in FIGS.


2


A and


2


B), which can be useful for alignment purposes (e.g., centering of fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


). Support


286


can be manufactured as an integrated part of housing


202


or can alternatively be formed as a detachable component.




As discussed above, each of fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


operate as one half of a grooved fold roller pair


206


, where each of fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


has a folding profile


270


that is substantially hemispherical in shape. Alternatively, each folding profile


270


can be conical (such that grooved fold roller


206


assumes a v-shape in an initial or undisplaced state) or can be any other shape that can produce a fold in a sheet in conjunction with fold blade


204


.




As shown in

FIGS. 1A and 1B

, housing


102


includes at least one pinch wheel, such as one of pinch wheels


120


, for clamping sheet material against the fold blade, wherein the at least one pinch foot is elastically mounted to the housing. Each pinch wheel


120


is part of a pinch assembly


136


, which includes a pinch bracket


140


, a pinch axle


138


, a pinch shaft


116


, and a pinch spring


122


. A pinch assembly corresponding to pinch assembly


136


is shown in

FIG. 2A

(in front view) as pinch assembly


236


. Each pinch wheel


120


is rotatably attached to a pinch bracket


140


via a pinch axle


138


, and each pinch bracket is attached to housing


102


via a pinch shaft


116


and pinch spring


122


. Pinch shafts


116


permit vertical translation of pinch assemblies


136


during a folding operation. The FIG.


1


B example shows four pinch assemblies


136


, although this number can alternatively be greater or lesser.




Pinch wheels


120


are rotatable about pinch axles


138


and can be made of any formable material (metal and plastic being non-limiting examples) or of a deformable or elastomeric material. In the embodiment shown in

FIGS. 1A and 1B

, each pinch wheel


102


has a concave cylindrical contact surface, but this surface can also be a different shape (e.g., convex or flat). Pinch springs


122


can be linear, coil springs or can alternatively be any other elastic attaching means. Pinch wheels


120


are vertically biased by pinch springs


122


such that housing


102


can continue to translate towards fold blade


104


after pinch wheels


232


have engaged a sheet against fold blade


104


, thereby anchoring it in place during a fold operation. Also, pinch assemblies


136


can alternatively include pinching components that are not rotatable and are not formed as wheels. For example, the clamping operation of pinch wheels


120


can instead be performed by a non-rotatable pinch foot with a v-shaped groove.




Housing


102


also includes fold flaps, such as two fold flaps


118


, for forcing a sheet material around the fold blade. Fold flaps


118


can be arranged to have any angle between them such that blade holder


134


fits between fold flaps


118


during a folding operation. Fold flaps


118


can be manufactured with housing


102


as a unitary component or separately from housing


102


, and can be manufactured from the same material as housing


102


or from a different, formable material. Fold flaps


118


can be pivotally attached to each other and can also be biased towards each other by using, for example, flap springs


124


. Such an arrangement provides for the adjusting of the angle between fold flaps


118


to accommodate different sheet material thickness. Alternatively, any other elastic connecting means can be used to bias the fold flaps


118


towards one another, or fold flaps


118


can be fixedly attached to each other.




The folding operation of folding apparatus


100


includes a step of feeding a sheet material into an area between two fold rollers (such as fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


) and a fold blade (such as one of fold blades


204


). For example, in the

FIG. 2A

embodiment, sheet material


248


is advanced a predetermined distance in the +z or −z direction such that sheet material


248


is positioned between fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


and fold blade


204


.

FIGS. 1A and 1B

illustrate a sheet path SP of sheet material


248


in the −z direction, for example. The predetermined distance along the z-axis can be chosen by the desired width of the booklet and, for example, the location of the sheet in the booklet, as described in the Trovinger PCT. Sheet material


248


is positioned across fold blade


204


such that the location where a fold is desired is placed directly over the fold blade


204


.




Another step provided in the folding method is the adjusting of a distance between the two fold rollers (e.g., fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


), where the two fold rollers are biased away from each other (e.g., by spring


256


). This step of adjusting includes a step of moving an adjusting member, such as adjusting member


272


of

FIGS. 2A and 2B

(corresponding to adjusting member


372


of

FIGS. 3A and 3B

) or adjusting member


472


of

FIG. 4

, where the adjusting member includes first and second inclined components (e.g., elements


374


and


376


in FIGS.


3


A and


3


B), where a movement of the first inclined component in a first direction (e.g., along the x-axis) causes a movement of the second inclined component in a second direction (e.g., along the z-axis), and wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular. Inclined components


374


and


376


can be made of metal, plastic, or any other formable material that can either 1) facilitate easy relative movement between the two components or 2) be at least partially covered by a material that allows such movement (e.g., by covering inclined surfaces


382


and


384


with a smooth polymer with low surface friction).




In

FIGS. 3A and 3B

, inclined component (or wedge)


374


is shown to be movable along a linear path in the x-axis while its movement is constrained in the z-axis (e.g., by an inner surface of housing


202


, as illustrated in FIGS.


2


A and


2


B). Movement of inclined component


374


can also be constrained along the y-axis by support or guide members attached to an inner surface of housing


202


or formed on it. Inclined component


376


is shown in

FIGS. 3A and 3B

to be movable linearly along the z-axis while its movement is constrained along the x-axis (e.g., by a formation or an attachment on an inner surface of housing


202


, as in known in the art). As with inclined component


374


, movement of inclined component


376


can be constrained along the y-axis by support or guide members attached to an inner surface of housing


202


or formed on it.




Due to the shape of inclined components


374


and


376


(which respectively include inclined surfaces


382


and


384


) and to the biasing force of springs


356


, movement of inclined component


374


along the x-axis (either in the positive or negative direction) will result in a movement along the z-axis of inclined component


376


. Inclined surfaces


382


and


384


can directly contact each other, or separate elements can be used to aid in providing the ability to easily slide inclined components


374


and


376


relative to each other. For example, roller bearings or similar components can be positioned between inclined components


374


and


376


for this purpose.




Fold rollers


306




b


are positioned to contact inclined component


376


, and movement of inclined component


376


in the second direction (e.g., along the z-axis) alters a distance between fold rollers


306




a


and


306




b


. In the examples of

FIGS. 3A and 3B

, fold rollers


306




a


are rotatably mounted on roller axles


360


, but are also constrained in their movement along the z-axis (i.e., by support


386


). Fold rollers


306




b


, however, are allowed to both rotate about roller axles


360


and to move linearly along roller axles


360


(i.e., along the z-axis). In the

FIG. 3A

example, adjusting member


372


is positioned such that fold rollers


306




a


and


306




b


are separated by a distance of x


1


(e.g., representing one possible width of fold groove


150


, shown in FIGS.


1


A and


1


B), in which case springs


356


are only partially compressed. Spring rates for springs


356


can be chosen such that they ensure contact between fold rollers


306




b


and inclined component


376


, while also allowing relatively easy adjustment of adjusting member


372


. In

FIG. 3B

, inclined component


374


is shown to be moved in the +x-direction such that fold rollers


306




a


and


306




b


are separated by a distance of x


2


(e.g., representing another width of fold groove


150


), in which case springs


356


are fully compressed or nearly fully compressed. The difference between distances x


1


and x


2


can be from around 0 to 0.5 millimeters or can be greater, depending on the application.




Roller axles


360


can extend through adjusting members


372


, in which case inclined components


374


and


376


can include slots or guides (oriented in the x-y plane) to allow their movement around roller axles


360


. Alternatively, roller axles can extend in the −z-direction along partially through fold rollers


306




b


, without contacting or penetrating either component of adjusting member


372


.




Inclined component


374


can be moved along the x-axis either manually by an operator, by an actuator controlled by a computer, or by any other conventional or other means. The positioning of inclined component


374


along the x-axis will depend on such factors as the type and thickness of sheet material that is to be folded. Once adjusted, inclined component


374


can be locked into positioned by any conventional or other means, such as set screws or quick-release levers, as are known in the art. In this way, an infinite number of distances between fold rollers


306




a


and


306




b


can be achieved and rigidly maintained to accommodate a wide range of sheet material thicknesses. Also, inner surfaces of housing


202


and/or support


386


can be adjustable to center fold rollers


306




a


and


306




b


over a fold blade (e.g., fold blade


104


or


204


) when desired.




In the exemplary embodiment shown in the

FIG. 4

, adjusting member


472


is fashioned as a single-piece component with a stepped surface


480


that interfaces with a pin


478


, which can be mounted on housing


202


. In this example, adjusting member


472


can be moved in both the x-axis and z-axis such that the distances between fold rollers


406




a


and


406




b


can be discretely selected. Adjusting member


472


can be biased (e.g., by springs) in either or both the x-axis and the z-axis to secure its positioning. This configuration provides for the adjusting of distances between fold rollers


406




a


and


406




b


while ensuring that the distances are rigidly maintained to create a precise fold in sheet material.




The folding operation also includes a step of moving the two fold rollers and the fold blade relative to one another to form a fold in the sheet using the fold blade, where a first drive means (e.g., drive assembly


112


) moves at least one of the fold blade and the two fold rollers to position the fold blade between the two fold rollers, and wherein a second drive means (e.g., drive assembly


108


) moves the two fold rollers along a longitudinal axis of the fold blade. As shown in

FIG. 2A

, once sheet material


248


is positioned over the fold blade


204


, housing


202


translates towards sheet material


248


and fold blade


204


in the -y direction through operation of first drive assembly


112


(FIGS.


1


A and


1


B). Pinch wheel


220


captures sheet material


248


against fold blade


204


by the force created by pinch springs


222


and, as housing


202


continues its advancement, pinch wheel


220


continues to maintain a securing force against sheet material


248


and fold blade


204


through the biasing action of the compressed pinch spring


222


. A slack loop can be form in sheet material


248


by, for example, a paper drive assembly, as described in the Trovinger PCT.




Also during the above step, a second drive means (such as second drive means


108


) moves the two fold rollers along a longitudinal axis of the fold blade. For example, after fold rollers


206




a


and


206




b


have been fully advanced around fold blade


204


, housing


202


is moved transversely back and forth along the fold blade


204


by second drive assembly


108


to fully crease the sheet all along the length of the fold. Fold roller pairs


106


are spaced apart from each other and travel a horizontal distance sufficient to insure that every point along the edge of a fold is contacted and creased by at least one fold roller pair


106


.




The above process can be repeated to fully crease sheet material


248


along the length of a fold. Once a fold is fully formed in sheet material


248


, housing


202


is translated away from fold blade


204


to an initial position and, in so doing, pinch wheel


220


releases folded sheet material


248


from fold blade


204


. Folded sheet material can then be ejected from folding apparatus


100


and delivered to a downstream device, such as a sheet-collecting saddle, for example.




Exemplary embodiments of the present invention can be modified to include features from any or all of the following copending applications, all filed on even date herewith, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety: Sheet Folding Apparatus With Pivot Arm Fold Rollers, Attorney Docket No. 10001418; Sheet Folding Apparatus, Attorney Docket No. 10013280; Variable Media Thickness Folding Method, Attorney Docket No. 10013507; and Sheet Folding Apparatus With Rounded Fold Blade, Attorney Docket No. 10013506.




The exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide for the precise folding of a wide range of sheet material thicknesses and types. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the present invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presently disclosed embodiments are therefore considered in all respects to be illustrative and not restricted. The scope of the invention is indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description and all changes that come within the meaning and range and equivalence thereof are intended to be embraced therein.



Claims
  • 1. A method for folding a sheet of material, comprising the steps of:feeding a sheet material into an area between two fold rollers and a fold blade; adjusting a distance between the two fold rollers, wherein the two fold rollers are rotatably mounted on a common axis and are biased away from each other; and moving the two fold rollers and the fold blade relative to one another to form a fold in the sheet using the fold blade.
  • 2. The method of claim 1, wherein a first drive means moves at least one of the fold blade and the two fold rollers to position the fold blade between the two fold rollers, and wherein a second drive means moves the two fold rollers along a longitudinal axis of the fold blade.
  • 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the two fold rollers are biased away from each other by a spring.
  • 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the common axis is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fold blade.
  • 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting includes the step of moving an adjusting member, the adjusting member comprising:first and second inclined components, wherein a movement of the first inclined component in a first direction causes a movement of the second inclined component in a second direction, and wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular.
  • 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the movement of the second inclined component in the second direction alters a distance between the two fold rollers.
  • 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of adjusting includes the step of moving an adjusting member that includes a stepped surface.
  • 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the common axis includes two concentric roller axles.
  • 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the common axis is a common roller axle.
  • 10. A system for folding sheet material, comprising:a fold blade; two fold rollers rotatably mounted on a common axis and are biased away from each other; an adjusting member which alters a distance between the two fold rollers; and first drive means for moving at least one of the fold blade and the two fold rollers along a first path to position the fold blade between the two fold rollers.
  • 11. The system of claim 10, comprising:second drive means for moving the two fold rollers along a longitudinal axis of the fold blade.
  • 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the two fold rollers are biased away from each other by a spring.
  • 13. The system of claim 10, wherein the common axis is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the fold blade.
  • 14. The system of claim 10, wherein each of the two fold rollers has a folding profile that is substantially hemispherical.
  • 15. The system of claim 10, wherein the adjusting member comprises:first and second inclined components, wherein a movement of the first inclined component in a first direction causes a movement of the second inclined component in a second direction, and wherein the first and second directions are perpendicular.
  • 16. The system of claim 15, wherein the movement of the second inclined component in the second direction alters a distance between the two fold rollers.
  • 17. The system of claim 10, wherein the adjusting member includes a stepped surface.
  • 18. The system of claim 4, wherein the common axis includes two concentric roller axles.
  • 19. The system of claim 10, wherein the common axis is a common roller axle.
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