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:
Oct. 26, 1999
Filed:
May. 13, 1997
Applicant:
Inventors:
Masayoshi Horikawa, Toyokawa, JP;
Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Aichi-Ken, JP;
Kazuyuki Tomishige, Toyohashi, JP;
Assignee:
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B65H / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
270 5811 ; 270 5808 ; 270 5813 ; 271298 ; 271303 ;
Abstract
A staple sorter which distributes sheets ejected from a copying machine into a plurality of bins and staples stacks of sheets in the bins by use of a staple unit. The bins are vertically movable pitch by pitch, and a large-capacity tray is provided above the bins. A sheet conveyer gate which has rollers, is vertically movable between the bins and the tray. When the sheet conveyer gate is in a lowered position, the rollers take a stapled stack of sheets out of a bin. Then, the sheet conveyer gate is raised and takes the stack of sheets into the large-capacity tray.