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:
Jul. 04, 2000
Filed:
Apr. 25, 1997
Tatsuya Shinno, Toyokawa, JP;
Yoshiki Ohmichi, Toyokawa, JP;
Minolta Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A finisher distributes image-formed sheets into bins while sorting and stapling the sorted and stacked sheets. The bins are movable vertically pitch by pitch, and the image-formed sheets are distributed so that each bin will store a set from the first page to the last page (sort mode). Further, chucking units are provided to take stacks of sheets on bins set in specified levels out of the bins. The chucking units pinch the respective stacks of sheets and move along the bins in the same direction. The stack of sheets pinched by the lower chucking unit is taken out of the bin for stapling, and then the stapled stack of sheets is moved back onto the bin. The stack of sheets (stapled stack of sheets) taken out of the bin by the upper chucking unit is received by rollers of a convener gate, and the convener gate moves upward to convey the stack of sheets to a non-sort tray.