Transportation system for sheet delivery between sheet or sheet stack processing equipment

Abstract

A sheet or sheet stack handling system for performing at least one operation on successive sheets or stacks of sheets, and interface for the same, wherein the document handling system includes at least two modules selected from a group consisting of an elevator transfer station, a modular transfer station, a storage station, a transportation cart, and a modular processing station. When more than one modular processing station are coupled to form the document handling system, the system may be utilized to perform a series of operations on successive sheets or stacks of sheets. Alternately, the individual processing stations or a group of the processing stations may be utilized to perform only certain functions on the sheets. The modules each contain a plurality of parallel, spaced, elongated support surfaces that form a sheet support surface. The parallel, spaced, elongated support surfaces of the two modules are sized and disposed that they may intermesh to allow a transfer of sheet stacks between the modules when one set of parallel support surfaces is moved upward or downward relative to the other.

1 . A document handling system for performing at least one operation on successive sheets or stacks of sheets, the document handling system comprising: 
 at least two modules selected from the group consisting of an elevator transfer station, a modular transfer station, a storage station, and a modular processing station for performing an operation on said successive sheets or stacks of sheets,    a transportation cart for transporting stacks of sheets between the at least two modules, the transportation cart comprising a plurality of elongated support surfaces disposed substantially parallel one another to collectively present a sheet support surface,    said at least two modules each comprising a plurality of elongated support surfaces disposed substantially parallel one another to collectively present a sheet support surface, said module plurality of elongated support surfaces of each said at least two modules and said transportation cart plurality of support surfaces being spaced such that at least a portion of said transportation cart plurality of elongated support surfaces can separately intermesh with the module plurality of support surfaces to create joint sheet support surfaces such that sheets or stacks of sheets disposed on one of the transportation cart plurality of elongated support surfaces or on one of the modules plurality of elongated support surfaces may be transferred to the other of the transportation cart plurality of elongated support surfaces or module plurality of support surfaces,    whereby the transportation cart is utilized to move said successive sheets or stacks of sheets between said modules through the document handling system.    
   
   
       2 . The document handling system of  claim 1  wherein the elevator transfer station includes a moveable surface that moves the sheets or stacks of sheets in a substantially vertical elevation.  
   
   
       3 . The document handling system of  claim 2  wherein the plurality of elongated support surfaces of the elevator transfer station include driven surfaces operable to apply a forward motion to the sheets or stack of sheets to drive the sheets or stack of sheets through the document handling system.  
   
   
       4 . The document handling system of  claim 1  wherein the plurality of elongated support surfaces of at least one of the at least two modules includes driven surfaces operable to apply a forward motion to the sheets or stack of sheets to drive the sheets or stack of sheets through the document handling system.  
   
   
       5 . The document handling system of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of elongated support surfaces of the modular transfer station include said driven surfaces operable to apply a forward motion to the sheets or stack of sheets to drive the sheets or stack of sheets through the document handling system.  
   
   
       6 . The document handling system of  claim 4  wherein the plurality of elongated support surfaces of the modular sheet processing station include said driven surfaces operable to apply a forward motion to the sheets or stack of sheets to drive the sheets or stack of sheets through the document handling system.  
   
   
       7 . The document handling system of  claim 3  wherein the driven surfaces include a plurality of driven rollers.  
   
   
       8 . The document handling system of  claim 3  wherein the driven surfaces include a plurality of driven belts.  
   
   
       9 . The document handling system of  claim 1  wherein the joint sheet support surface is disposed substantially in a joint sheet support plane, and the intermeshed plurality of elongated support surfaces of at least one of the at least two modules is moveable in a plane other than said joint sheet support plane whereby a sheets or stack of sheets disposed on the joint sheet support surface may be transferred to be supported substantially on the plurality of elongated support surfaces of one of the at least two modules by raising or lowering the elongated support surfaces moveable in the plane other than said joint sheet support plane.  
   
   
       10 . The document handling system of  claim 1  wherein the modular processing station is selected from the group consisting of a printer, a tab cutter, a binder, a feeder, a cover closer, an envelope stuffer, a punch, a stacker, a laminator, and a sealer.  
   
   
       11 . The document handling system of  claim 1  comprising at least a first and a second modular processing station for performing first and second operations on said successive sheets or stacks of sheets.  
   
   
       12 . The document handling system of  claim 11  wherein said modular processing stations are disposed and coupled to operate inline such that the first modular processing station performs said first operation on the sheet or stack of sheets, the sheet or stack of sheets is then automatically fed to the second modular processing station, and the second modular processing station then performs said second operation on the sheet or stack of sheets, the first and second modular processing stations being further arranged to operate offline wherein at least one of the first or second modular processing station may be operated to perform said respective operation independent of the remaining modular processing station performing its respective independent operation.  
   
   
       13 . The document handling system of  claim 11  wherein said modular processing stations are disposed and coupled to operate inline such that the first modular processing station performs said first operation on the sheet or stack of sheets, the sheet or stack of sheets is then automatically fed to the second modular processing station, and the second modular processing station then performs said second operation on the sheet or stack of sheets, the first and second modular processing stations being further configured to be decouplable from each other, wherein when decoupled at least one of the first or second modular processing station is operable to perform said respective operation independent of the remaining modular processing station.  
   
   
       14 . A document handling system for performing at least one operation on successive sheets or stacks of sheets, the sheet handling system comprising first and second modular processing stations for performing respective first and second operations on said successive sheets or stack of sheets, said modular processing stations being disposed and coupled to operate inline such that the first modular processing station performs said first operation on the sheet or stack of sheets, the sheet or stack of sheets being successively then automatically fed to the second modular processing station, and the second modular processing station then performing the second operation on the sheet or stack of sheets, the first and second modular processing stations being further arranged and adapted to operate offline wherein at least one of the first or second modular processing station may be operated to perform said respective operation independent of the remaining modular processing station performing its respective independent operation.  
   
   
       15 . The document handling system of  claim 14  further comprising at least one module selected from the group consisting of an elevator transfer station, a modular transfer station, a storage station, a transportation cart, and a further modular processing station for performing an operation on said successive sheets or stacks of sheets, said at least one module interfacing with at least one of the first or second modular processing station.  
   
   
       16 . The document handling system of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one modular transfer station disposed inline between the first and second modular processing stations such that the modular transfer station acts as a buffer to hold said sheet or stack of sheets processed by the first modular processing station until such time as the second processing station is operable to perform the second operation on said sheet or stack of sheets.  
   
   
       17 . An interface to a document processing system comprising at least two cooperating modules selected from the group consisting of an elevator transfer station, a modular transfer station, a storage station, a transportation cart, and a modular sheet processing station, wherein a transfer of sheets or stacks of sheets between the cooperating modules is facilitated by the intermeshing of a plurality of elongated support surfaces extending from each of the cooperating modules, the interface being at least partially actuatable by a user, the interface comprising: 
 a user interface portion for allowing interaction of the user with the document processing system; and    an automatic interface portion for automatically receiving information in device-readable form.    
   
   
       18 . An interface to a document processing system comprising at least two cooperating modular sheet processing stations, wherein the cooperating modular sheet processing stations are disposed and coupled for inline processing of sheets or sheet stacks and, while coupled, to allow the offline use of at least one of the cooperating modular sheet processing stations, the interface being at least partially actuatable by a user, the interface comprising: 
 a user interface portion for allowing interaction of the user with the document processing system, and for initiating the offline use of at least one of the cooperating modular sheet processing stations; and p 1  an automatic interface portion for automatically receiving information in device-readable form.    
   
   
       19 . The interface according to  claim 17 , wherein the user interface portion includes a display portion and a user input portion, wherein the display portion displays to the user at least one type of information selected from document processing set up information, document processing system diagnostic information, and user input information.  
   
   
       20 . The interface according to  claim 19 , wherein the user input portion comprises a touch screen.  
   
   
       21 . The interface according to  claim 20 , wherein the touch screen is integral with the display portion of the user interface portion.  
   
   
       22 . The interface according to  claim 19 , wherein the user input portion comprises a keypad.  
   
   
       23 . The interface according to  claim 17 , wherein the automatic interface portion is configurable to receive information from at least one of a sensor input, a barcode reader input, and a digital electronic input.  
   
   
       24 . The interface according to  claim 23 , wherein the sensor input indicates the presence of a sheet in an input stack.  
   
   
       25 . The interface according to  claim 23 , wherein the sensor input indicates the presence of a cart for transporting sheets or stacks of sheets.  
   
   
       26 . The interface according to  claim 23 , wherein the information receivable from the barcode reader input comprises an indication of a desired document processing operation.  
   
   
       27 . The interface according to  claim 23 , wherein the digital electronic input comprises a USB port.  
   
   
       28 . The interface according to  claim 23 , wherein the information receivable from the digital electronic input comprises information from at least one of a printer, a computer, and the Internet.  
   
   
       29 . A transportation cart for moving stacks of sheets between processing modules in a sheet handling system, the sheet handling system comprising at least two modules selected from the group consisting of an elevator transfer station, a modular transfer station, a storage station, and a modular processing station for performing an operation on said successive sheets or stacks of sheets, said at least two modules each comprising a plurality of elongated support surfaces disposed substantially parallel one another to collectively present a sheet support surface, the transportation cart comprising a plurality of elongated support surfaces disposed substantially parallel one another to collectively present a sheet support surface, said module plurality of elongated support surfaces of said at least two modules and said transportation cart plurality of support surfaces being spaced and disposed such that at least a portion of said transportation cart plurality of elongated support surfaces can separately intermesh with the module plurality of support surfaces of each of said at least two modules, respectively, to create joint sheet support surfaces such that sheets or stacks of sheets disposed on one of the transportation cart plurality of elongated support surfaces or on the module plurality of elongated support surfaces may be transferred to the other of the transportation cart plurality of elongated support surfaces or module plurality of support surfaces, the transportation cart further comprising a securing arrangement that selectively holds the stack of sheets in position on the sheet support surface during movement whereby the transportation cart is utilized to move said successive sheets or stacks of sheets between said modules through the document handling system.  
   
   
       30 . The transportation cart of  claim 29  further comprising wheels for movement of the cart.  
   
   
       31 . The transportation cart of  claim 30  wherein the wheels are in the form of rollers.  
   
   
       32 . The transportation cart of  claim 30  wherein the wheels are in the form of casters.  
   
   
       33 . The transportation cart of  claim 30  further comprising a handle for imparting movement to the transportation cart.  
   
   
       34 . The transportation cart of  claim 30  wherein the securing arrangement comprises at least one upright and a substantially horizontal portion that is movable between a position wherein the horizontal portion contacts the stack of sheets to secure the stack to the sheet support surface and a position wherein the horizontal portion does not contact the stack of sheets such that the stack may be transferred to one of the modules.  
   
   
       35 . The transportation cart of  claim 34  wherein the securing arrangement comprises a pair of uprights and the horizontal portion extends between the uprights.  
   
   
       36 . The transportation cart of  claim 30  wherein the securing arrangement comprises a belt.  
   
   
       37 . The transportation cart of  claim 30  wherein at least one of the cart elongated support surfaces or the module elongated support surfaces are selectively movable in substantially vertical direction to facilitate transfer of a stack of sheets supported on the elongated support surfaces of either the cart or the module to the elongated supported support surfaces of the other of the cart or the module.  
   
   
       38 . The transportation cart of  claim 30  wherein the cart elongated support surfaces are selectively movable in substantially vertical direction to facilitate transfer of a stack of sheets supported on the elongated support surfaces of either the cart or the module to the elongated supported support surfaces of the other of the cart or the module.  
   
   
       39 . The transportation cart of  claim 38  further comprising a housing.  
   
   
       40 . The transportation cart of  claim 39  wherein the housing is selectively moveable in the substantially vertical direction whereby the cart elongated support surfaces are movable in the substantially vertical direction.  
   
   
       41 . The transportation cart of  claim 39  wherein the cart elongated support surfaces are movable in the substantially vertical direction relative to the housing.  
   
   
       42 . A document handling system for performing at least one operation on successive sheets or stacks of sheets, the paper handling system comprising: 
 at least two modular processing stations for performing a first operation and a second operation on said successive sheets or stacks of sheets,    at least one modular transfer station disposed inline between the first and second modular processing stations such that the modular transfer station acts as a buffer to hold said sheet or stack of sheets processed by the first modular processing station until such time as the second processing station is operable to perform the second operation on said sheet or stack of sheets,    said at least two modular processing stations and at least one modular transfer station each comprising a plurality of elongated support surfaces disposed parallel one another to collectively present a sheet support surface, at least a portion of said plurality of elongated support surfaces of the at least two modular processing stations being disposed to intermesh to create a joint sheet support surface such that sheets or stacks of sheets disposed on one such plurality of elongated support surfaces on one of the at least two modules may be transferred to the plurality of elongated support surfaces on another of the at least two modules,    whereby said successive sheets or stacks of sheets are moved through the document handling system.