CA1057230A - Copy quantity collation system - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A copy distribution system for sorting copies of document information in a stacking mode a regular collating mode or a special collating mode where different numbers of copies are distributed to sorter bins at the option of a machine operator. A programmable device settable by the machine operator enables distributing sheets in different modes of operation. In the special collating mode logic counts the copies advanced along a transport path until the selected count including zero has been satisfied and a signal is then supplied to an index motor which mechanically opens and closes the gates to the bins. Upon energization of the index motor each of the gates opens and closes in a predetermined order until distribution to all of the bins has been satisfied in accordance with the setting of the programmable device, In the regular sort mode of operation each of the gates is opened and closed in sequence after one copy sheet has been received in each of the bins and the operation is repeated for the preselected copy distribution in each of the bins. For the stack mode of operation only one bin receives all the copy sheets.

Description

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This invention relates in general to copier/
duplicator machines and in particular to an improved system for distributing copy sheets of document information produced on the copier/duplicator machine in stacking, normal collated or special collated modes of operation. The instant application incorporates by reference U. S. Patent 3,467,371 issued on September 16, 1969, describing sheet sorting apparatus and commonly assigned herewith.
Since the advent of the basic xerographic process as disclosed in J. S. Patent 2,297,691 to Carlson a variety of machines for copying and duplicating have been placed in commercial use. Many of the duplicator machines have modular sorting assemblies for distributing copy sheets into trays or ~ins in collated sets as described, for example, in the above patent and U. S. Patents 3,460,824 and 3,774,906. It is usual to sort the same number of sheets into each of the bins. A
special collation system which distributes a different number of sheets in each bin is accomplished by a punchad tape program as describea, for example, in U. S. Patent 3,395,913. However, . . .
in this particular system there is no operator flexibility control in the sense that a new punched tape is required for a different distribution. It has been further found that it is possible-to distribute preselected numbers of articles into bins -~
by operating relays in conjunction with stepping switches as described in U. S. Patent 3,690,643. As in the case of the 3,395,913 patent the program is fixed once established and while D ltiple pro~rams can be used in sequence the system is not entirely satisfactory with respect to flexibility.

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In accordance with the present invention a new and improved distribution system is provided which is readily changeable by a machine operator. More than this the system is capable of normal sorting of special sorting in a collated -fashion or stacking all at the OptiQn of a machine operator with no delay.
Thus, in accordance with the present teachings, an improved on-line special collation system for distributing copy sheets into bins in the same or different numbers of collated sets from a document information reproduced by a copier/duplicator machine is provided. The system comprises an array of sorting bins which are arranged to receive copy sheets to assemble collated sets. Gate members are provided associated with each of the bins to deflect copy sheets thereinto. Camming means is provided which is -associated with each of the gate members for mechanically opening each of the gate members in a predetermined sequence with a drive means provided for movlng the camming means in response to electrical signals. Circuit means is provided which includes sensing means and counting means for counting , ; copy sheets and counting bin positions for energizing the drive means to move the camming means to actuate the gate ~; members upon satisfying predetermined numbers of copy sheets at the entrances of the bins in accordance with quantities set on presettable switches on a control panel for the system.
For a better understanding of the invention as well I ~ as other objects and further features thereof, reference is $ has to the following detailed description of the invention which is to be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 illustrates schematically an electrostato-graphic reproducing machine including an improved sorter assem-I bly operated and controlled in accordance with the instant '$, invention; ~:

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Figure lA is an enlarged view of the control panel of the sorter assemply;
Figure 2 is an enlarged view of the indexing mechanism for activating the diverting gate of a modular sorter assembly;
Figure 3 is an enIarged perspective view of an ~
actuator for actuating a set of gate members; ;
Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the cam of the indexing mechanism;
Figure 5 is an enlarged view or a second cam o~
the indexing mechanism Figure 6 is a schematic view of the electrical cir-cuit of the cam control for index motor; and Figures 7A and 7B when comhined show an electrical circuit of the control of the system in accordance with the instant invention.
In Figure 1 is shown an elect:rostatographic repro- ;
j ducing machine which comprises a xerographic processor 25 which transpo~ts copy sheets to modular sortin~ assembly 28. A control panel 30 includes the usual counters and buttons including a switch Sll for START PRINT and various knobs and controls as ,~ normally found on copierjdupllcators. The processor includes

3~; a drum shaped member 41 including a photoconductive layer or light receivlng surface on a conductive backing. The drum j ~ member is mounted on a shaft journaled in frame to rotate in .j the dlrection of the arrow to cause the drum surface to pass sequentially a plurality o~ xerographic processing stations.
For the purpose of the present disclosure the pro- ~ -i cessing stations in the path of movement of the drum surface ~ may be described functionally as follows:
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A charging station A at which a unifor~ electro-static charge is deposited on the photoconductive layer of the drum;
An exposure station B at which a light or radiation pattern is projected onto the drum surface to thereby dissipate the drum charge in the exposed areas thereby forming a latent electrostatic image of the copy to be reproduced;
A developing station C at which a xerographic de-veloping material including toner particles having an electro- ~ .
static charge opposite to that of the el~ctrostatic latent image ~ -are cascaded over the drum surface whereby the toner particles - : .
adhere to the latent electrostatic ~:lage to produce a xerographic ~ .
powder image in a configuration of the copy being reproduced;
A trangfer station D at which the powder image is ~`
electrostatically transferred from the drum sur~ace to copy sheet made of paper material; :~
drum cleaning and discha~rge ~tation E at which the : . .
drum surface is cleaned to remove residual toner particles thereon after image transfer and at which the drum surface i~
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~ exposea so a relatively bright light source to ef~ect substan-,~ tially complete discharge of any residual electrostatic charge remaining thereon; and A fusing station F at which the powder ~mage is : permanently affixed to the copy sheet which is paper and which is transported to a modular sorting~ass mbly 28 for producing collated sets of the aocument information.
For a more detailed description of th~ processor .; ~
~ reference is made to U. S. Patent 3,301,126 to osborne et al ;:
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which is commonly assigned herewith.

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' " :' ~L~S~'~3~ 1 It should be understood that the copier/duplicator machine can utilize a document feeding apparatus which feeds documents onto the platen 50 of the processor, or alternatively, the documents may be handled manually by a machine operator.
Copy sheets produced by the processor are distributed to modular sorting assembly 28 by the drive rolls 30 with cooperating idler rolls 32 to move the sheets past the inlets of bins 60.
A light source 40 and a photodetector 42 are located in the sorting assembly to detect the presence of copy sheets entering the binsO Both the lead edge and a trail edge of the copy ~ ~
sheets serve to advance the index mechanism for actuating the ~-gate members in the modular sorter assembl~ 28. The sheets a~e diverted into the appropriate bin in sequence beginning with the top bin and proceeding towards the bottom bin by gate members in`
their operation is described more fully in the above U. S. Patent 3,467,371 issued September 16, 1969, and commonly assigned with the instant application.
In accordance with the invent:ion, the machine operator can select dif~erent numbers of copies including zero for distribution into the sorter bins. As shown in Figure lA a con-troller~16 positioned on the machine includes bin switches Sl -S10 ~or the purpose of the operators selecting the desired number `i of copies including zero for distribution into each of the binsO
It will be understood that the range of the num~er of copies which may be set LS~ determined by the number of positions on a~
given switch used. For purposes of the present Aescription the number of positions is ten and the range is zero through nine. ~Loo~ing at Figure~lA to the right of switches $1 - S10 are~cards 15 which are for use by the machine operator to ~record repetitive programs to facilitate use of the machine.
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Referring now to Figures 2 - 6 a set of gate members 62 for each of the bins is moved to an open position by a cam follower 65 which is actuated by a cam 67 rotated by a shaft member 69. Shaft member 69 is rotated by a motor 71. The angular rotation of shaft member 69 is dependent on cam ;~
switches which are actuated by cams fixed to the shaft member.
It will be noted that there is one set of gate members for each bin. It will be further appreciated that the lowermost set of gate members 62 is fixed in the open position and, therefore, does not have to be actuated. -:
Cam members 100 and 101 are fixed to a shaft member 69 for rotation therewith. The two ~am members lOO and 101 each including a plurality of cam indentations 110 and 111 respectively, for each of the gate members which are actuated. Cam members 100 and 101 operate switches 102 and 103, respectively. The two switches 102 and 103 act in conjunction with the two states of a relay (not shown) having relay contacts 105 and 107 (Figure 6) which complete the circuit to a power supply 108 for energizing motor 71.
In accordance~with the instant invention the operation of the system may be best understood in the connection with the circuit of Figures 6 and 7A and 7B. The circuit enables distri-buting copy sheets in the stack mode, the normal collate-mode, and the special collate mode. For the stack mode of operation a switch S13 on the sorter control panel (Figure lA) is depressed causing actuation of a gate 210 (Figure l)~by a ~j~ ,.. . .
solenoid (not shown) to deflect all the copy sheets into a receiving tray 212.
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,' -~a)s~z~v For the normal collate mode of operation a switch 12 (Figure lA) is depressed causing the copy sheets to be advanced into the sorter assembly. The sheets are then dis-tributed one at a time to each of the bins 60 by the sequential indexing mechanism. Index motor 71 mechanically opens one gate at a time in sequence upon rotation of cams 67, 100, and 101.
Starting at gate 1 the switch 102 (Figure 6) is open and the switch 103 (Figure 6) is closed and the light path of light source 40 is clear. A relay (not shown) is energized by the photodetector 4~ and its contact 107 is -open. Also the circuit - -~
to motor 71 is open. As a copy sheet starts to enter the first bin the light beam is interrupted. ~s a result, t~e photo- -detector relay is deenergized closing its contact 107 and the circuit to motor 71 is completed. Thle motor is energized causing the cams 100 and 101 to turn until switch 103 opens.
, ~t this time the circuit to motor 71 is completed. The motor I is energized causing the cams 100 and 101 to turn until switch 103 opens. At this time the circuit to motor 71 is open and ;~
the motor stops. E`xternal linkages are such that this movement does not change the state of the gate members. Swltch--102 has been closed by rotation of the cam 101 but nothing occurs at ; this time because contact 105 i5 open. As ~he sheet clears the , light beam the photodetector relay is energized and the circuit to motor 71 is completed thru switch 102 which was closed at i the intermediate previous cam rotation. Motor 71 then rotates until switch 10~ opens at the next cam indentation. The external linkages are such that the irst set of gate members ~lose and ~he seco~d set of gate members open. This operation continues for each set of gate members until all of the gate members to each of the associated bins have been opened in ., 33~, ' ' ''~':",, ~57~3~ ~ -sequence. The operation continues until the prescribed number of sheets are distributed into each of the bins in normal collated order as determined by the setting of copy count on control panel 30.
For the special collate mode of operation a button switch SB (Figure lA) is deprebsed causing the switch to close and the relay KC and its contacts to connect the normal bin index signal to the controller copy count input 200 so that the control logic will contxol the operation of the bin index motor in a manner to be described. A relay KA is a reset repeat 1' relay which serves to reset the index system to bin 1. A reset signal 275 operates relay KA which resets the sorting assembly I to bin 1. A voltage signal 275 across the relay ~C~ coil is I reduced and recti~ied and then coupled through optical coupler 217 to the control logic to the initial condition. At the ~initial condition a copy counter 221 is set to zero, a bin I ,counter 300 is set at one and the switch Sl for bin 1 is enabled lJ via decoder 302. Switches Sl - S10 for bins 1 - 10 (Figure lA) ' are set to various numbers zero through nine by the machine ~ `
, operator.
'~ The copy sheet entering the sorter assembly interrupts ,' the light beam at the bin entrances in ~he manner just described ' ,~ -' , , with normal collate mode of operation. The photodetector relay ~' I is deenergized callsing an input signal 231 to go high, and optical coupler 219 and Q3 both to conduct~ The counter 221 ~ ~, counts to 1. Counter 221 binary coded outputs are compared with the setting of bin switch Sl at a comparator 235. Assuming that ' `' ~ bin switch Sl is set for 2 copies there would not b,e a corres- ' -~ pondence. ~s a result a wired ~ND gate 237 remains low and ~' ',, ;3 nothing occurs. When the first sheet complete~ its entry into -''`
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bin 1, the photodetector relay is enexgized to prepare for the next copy. When the second copy sheet breaks the light beam, copy counter 221 counts to 2. Since bin switch Sl has been set to 2 by the machine operator the input to comparator 235 is satisfied. When this occurs wired A~D gate 237 goes high and relay KB is de-energized. Contact 107 completes the circuit path to 103. As described under normal collate, the motor 71 rotates until 103 opens. External linkages are such that the bin entry gates do not change state and S102 closes. The circuit to the motor is open because contact 105 of the photodetector relay is open. When the copy sheet clears the light beam, the photodetector relay lS enersized, c~ntact 105 closes and indexing continues as described under normal collate.
As the copy sheet clears the light beam, the input to optical coupler 219 goes low. The out]put of optical coupler ;~
219 is coupler through ~ND gates 304 and 306 to an inverter . . .
308, advancing the count on bin counter 300 to 2. Simultaneously, the output of inverter 308 is shaped through the Schmidt trigger 310 and coupled through ~ND gate 312 and inverter 314 to rese~

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counter 221 to 0. Simultaneously, the output of bin count~r 300 is dPcoded by decoder 302 to nable bin switch S2. The controller is now ~eady to proceed as before. Assuming this . .
~ time that bin switch S2 is set to 0, as the motor 71 reaches .
the second bin position, 102 opens the circuit to motor 71 ~ and connects to zero count input 271. Input 271 is coupled to il optical coupler 316 and-NAND gate 304. The output of wired NAND gate 237 is high because the bin switch 52 is set to 0, ~ -: ~
and countex 221 is at zero, to de-energize relay KB. Contact KB closes, the circuit path to the motor 71L The index motor ,- . .
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turns until switch 102 changes state. This causes the input of optical coupler 316 to go low and relay KB to be energized through the action of NAND gates 304 and 306 and wired AND
gate 237 as described above. Again the bin counter 300 is advanced and the copy counter 221 reset to zero, where it was already since no copies entered bin 2. As switch 102 changes state it completed the circuit path to the motor through relay contact 105 so that index rotation will continue until the next bin position is reached. It should ba noted that the finite delay required for the actuation 3f-relay KB provided a circuit path for the motor 71 while switch 102 is completing its transfer from the 0 count input ~71 to the motos 71. The control logic is now prepared to act on the third bin quantity in the same manner as described abov~ and so on until all the quantities are satisfied.
While the invention has been described with reference to the structure disclosed, it is not confined to ~he details set forth but is intended to cover such modifications or changes including the use of solid state position sensors in lieu of electromechanical switches and a solid state driver in lieu of a relay and as may come within ~he scope o the following claims.

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Claims (5)

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. An improved on-line special collation system for distributing copy sheets into bins in the same or different numbers of collated sets from a document information reproduced by a copier/duplicator machine comprising:
an array of sorting bins arranged to receive copy sheets to assemble collated sets, gate members associated with each of the bins to deflect copy sheets thereinto, camming means associated with each of the gate members for mechanically opening each of said gate members in a predetermined sequence, drive means for moving said camming means in response to electrical signals, and circuit means including sensing means and counting means for counting copy sheets and counting bin positions for energizing said drive means to move said camming means to actuate said gate members upon satisfying predetermined numbers of copy sheets at the entrances of the bins in accordance with quantities set on presettable switches on a control panel for the system.

2. A system according to Claim 1 wherein said means for counting bin positions operates to select a pre-determined presettable switch for its associated bin.

3. A system according to Claim 1 including switching means to effect the movement of the camming means in steps for both the presence and absence of sheets at the bins' entrances.

4. An improved on-line system for distributing different numbers of copy sheets into bins from document information reproduced by a copier/duplicator machine comprising:
an array of sorting bins arranged to receive copy sheets, gate members associated with each of the bins to deflect copy sheets thereinto from a sheet path, camming means associated with each of the gate members for mechanically opening each of said gate members in predetermined sequence, drive means for moving said camming means in response to electrical signals, circuit means including sensing means and counting means for counting copy sheets and counting bin positions for energizing said drive means to move said camming means to actuate said gate members upon satisfying predetermined numbers of copy sheets at the entrances of the bins in accordance with quantities set on presettable switches on a control panel for the system, and circuit synchronizing means coupled to said drive means for comparing any of said presettable switches against a count of zero when said drive means arrives sequentially at a bin position and supplying signals advancing said drive means when a bin is to be skipped for a count of zero copy sheet in a particular bin.

5. A system according to Claim 4 wherein said means for counting bin positions operates to select a predetermined presettable switch for its associated bin.