The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 24, 1992
Filed:
Dec. 07, 1990
Jun Miyoshi, Osaka, JP;
Yoshio Sugishima, Osaka, JP;
Nobukazu Otsuka, Nara, JP;
Hiroyuki Nagai, Osaka, JP;
Takatoshi Nishimura, Osaka, JP;
Keiichi Taguchi, Kyoto, JP;
Mita Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A multiple sorter includes several sorter units disposed in series at a paper discharge outlet of an image forming apparatus. Each of the sorter units includes a paper distributing mechanism for distributing paper to several sort bins, and a first path change-over mechanism for changing over the connection of a paper lead-in path to either a paper feeding path to the paper distributing mechanism or a paper discharging path to a non-sort bin. The sorter also includes several bypass carrying paths, each provided across the paper discharging path of each of the sorter units and the paper lead-in path of another one of the sorter units which is adjacent to the one sorter unit in a serially connecting direction of the sorter units. The non-sort bin is provided on an upper portion of the bypass carrying path of each one of the sorter units so that the non-sort bin serves another one of the sorter units upstream of the one sorter unit. The sorter further includes several second path change-over mechanisms, each for switching the connection between the paper discharging path to the non-sort bin and the bypass carrying path.