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:
Apr. 21, 1992
Filed:
Mar. 20, 1990
Masahiro Higaki, Osaka, JP;
Minolta Camera Kabushiki Kaisha, Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A sorter having a finishing function which comprises a distributing unit for distributing printed sheets among a plurality of bins; a stapling unit for stapling the sheets; and a transporting unit for transporting the sheets from each bin to the stapling unit in a predetermined order. In the sorter, when a trouble occurs during the transportation of the sheets from one of the bins to the stapling unit, the transporting operation is discontinued, and when the trouble has been treated, the transporting operation is resumed with the bin next to the bin where the trouble occurred during the sheet transportation. Also, the sorter comprises sensors for detecting the existence of sheets in each bin, and when no sheets are detected in the bin where the trouble occurred during the sheet transportation, the transporting operation is resumed with the next bin, and when sheets are detected in the bin, the transporting operation is resumed with the bin.