Sheet folding apparatus

Abstract

A sheet conveying section (B) sequentially conveys a sheet (P) from a sheet feeding section (A), and a sheet folding section (D) folds the sheet (P) received from the sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction. The sheet conveying section (B) comprises a conveyer belt ( 3 ), and a positioning ruler ( 4 ) for positioning the sheet (P) while it is conveyed. The sheet folding section (D) comprises a folding knife ( 9 ), a pair of folding rollers ( 10 ), and first and second guides ( 11 a, 11 b) arranged on either side of the folding knife ( 9 ). The sheet (p) is positioned to a fold position by the first and second guides ( 11 a, 11 b) and folded by the folding knife ( 9 ) and the folding roller ( 10 ). The positioning ruler ( 4 ) is moved in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by a first driving mechanism ( 5, 6 ). The first and second guides ( 11 a) are moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction respectively by second and third driving mechanisms ( 21, 22; 23, 24 ). Control section ( 32 ) moves the first and second guides ( 11 a, 11 b) in conjunction with the movement of the positioning ruler ( 4 ) and moves the second guide ( 11 b) with conjunction with the movement of the first guide ( 11 a) and allows the independent movement of the second guide ( 11 b).

1. A sheet folding apparatus comprising:
 a sheet feeding section (A) sequentially discharging a sheet (P) from a sheet bundle; a sheet conveying section (B) conveying the sheet (P) fed from said sheet feeding section (A); and a sheet folding section (D) folding the sheet (P) received from said sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction,  
 said sheet conveying section (B) having a conveyer belt ( 3 ) arranged at an angle to the conveying direction for conveying the sheet (P) and a positioning ruler ( 4 ) arranged parallel with the conveying direction for positioning the sheet (P) while the sheet (P) is conveyed,  
 said sheet folding section (D) having a folding knife ( 9 ) extending along the conveying direction, a pair of folding rollers ( 10 ) arranged underneath said folding knife ( 9 ) and extending along the folding knife, and first and second guides ( 11 a) and ( 11 b) arranged on either side of said folding knife ( 9 ) at a spacing therebetween and parallel with said folding knife ( 9 ), whereby the sheet (P) is pressed by said second guide ( 11 b) at its one side so as to be abutted on said first guide ( 11 a) at its other side so as to be positioned at a fold position, and the sheet (P) is folded by said folding knife ( 9 ) and said pair of folding rollers ( 10 ),  
 said sheet folding apparatus characterized by  
 a first driving mechanism ( 5 ,  6 ) moving said positioning ruler ( 4 ) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction;  
 a second driving mechanism ( 21 ,  22 ) moving said first guide ( 11 a) in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction;  
 a third driving mechanism ( 23 ,  24 ) moving said second guide ( 11 b) in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction; and  
 a control section ( 32 ) controlling said first driving mechanism ( 5 ,  6 ), said second driving mechanism ( 21 ,  22 ) and said third driving mechanism ( 23 ,  24 ),  
 when said positioning ruler ( 4 ) is moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said control section ( 32 ) moving said first and second guides ( 11 a,  11 b) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said positioning ruler ( 4 ) in the same direction as that of said positioning ruler ( 24 ), and when said positioning ruler ( 4 ) is not moved and said first guide ( 11 a) is moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said control section ( 32 ) moving said second guide ( 11 b) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said first guide ( 11 a) in the same direction as that of said first guide ( 11 a), and said control section ( 32 ) allowing an independent movement of said second guide ( 11 b) in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction.  
 
     
     
       2. A sheet folding apparatus comprising:
 a sheet feeding section (A) sequentially discharging a sheet (P) from a sheet bundle; a sheet conveying section (B) conveying the sheet (P) fed from said sheet feeding section (A); and a sheet folding section (D) folding the sheet (P) received from said sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction,  
 said sheet conveying section (B) having a conveyer belt ( 3 ) arranged at an angle to the conveying direction for conveying the sheet (P) and a positioning ruler ( 4 ) arranged parallel with the conveying direction for positioning the sheet (P) while the sheet (P) is conveyed,  
 said sheet folding section (D) having a folding knife ( 9 ) extending along the conveying direction, a pair of folding rollers ( 10 ) arranged underneath said folding knife ( 9 ) and extending along the folding knife, a first stopper ( 12 ) extending perpendicularly to the conveying direction and first and second guides ( 11 a) and ( 11 b) arranged on either side of said folding knife ( 9 ) at a spacing therebetween and parallel with said folding knife ( 9 ), whereby the sheet (P) is abutted on said first stopper ( 12 ) at its leading edge and pressed by said second guide ( 11 b) at its one side so as to be abutted on said first guide ( 11 a) at its other side so as to be positioned at a fold position, and the sheet (P) is folded by said folding knife ( 9 ) and said pair of folding rollers ( 10 ),  
 said sheet folding apparatus characterized by  
 a first driving mechanism ( 5 ,  6 ) moving said positioning ruler ( 4 ) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction; and  
 a second driving mechanism ( 13 ,  14 ,  25 ,  26 ,  30 a,  30 b) moving said first stopper ( 12 ) in the conveying direction and the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said first and second guides ( 11 a) and ( 11 b) being fixed to said first stopper ( 12 );  
 a control section ( 32 ) controlling said first driving mechanism ( 5 ,  6 ) and said second driving mechanism ( 13 ,  14 ,  25 ,  26 ,  30 a,  30 b),  
 when said positioning ruler ( 4 ) is moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said control section ( 32 ) moving said first stopper ( 12 ) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said positioning ruler in the same direction as that of said positioning ruler ( 4 ).  
 
     
     
       3. The sheet folding apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , characterized in that said sheet folding apparatus further comprises:
 a second sheet folding section (E) arranged adjacent to said sheet folding section (D) in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction for folding the sheet (P) received from said sheet folding section (D) along a second conveying direction perpendicular to the conveying direction, said second sheet folding section (E) having a second folding knife ( 15 ) extending along the second conveying direction, a pair of second folding rollers ( 16 ) arranged underneath said second folding knife ( 15 ) and extending along said second folding knife ( 15 ), a second stopper ( 18 ) extending perpendicularly to the second conveying direction, and third and fourth guides ( 17 a) and ( 17 b) arranged on either side of said second folding knife ( 15 ) at a spacing therebetween and parallel with said second folding knife ( 15 ), whereby the sheet (P) is abutted on said second stopper ( 18 ) at its leading edge and pressed by said fourth guide ( 17 b) at its one side so as to be abutted on said third guide ( 17 a) at its other side so as to be positioned at a fold position, and the sheet (P) is folded by said second folding knife ( 15 ) and said pair of second folding rollers ( 16 ); and  
 a third driving mechanism ( 19 ,  20 ,  27 ,  28 ,  31 a,  31 b) moving said second stopper ( 18 ) in the second conveying direction and a direction perpendicular to the second conveying direction, said third and fourth guides ( 17 a) and ( 17 b) being fixed to said second stopper ( 18 ),  
 said control section ( 32 ) controlling a motion of said third driving mechanism ( 19 ,  20 ,  27 ,  28 ,  3   1 a,  31 b) so as to move said second stopper ( 18 ) a distance corresponding to a movement distance of said first stopper ( 12 ) in the same direction as that of said first stopper ( 12 ) at a time when said first stopper ( 12 ) is moved in the conveying direction and to allow an independent movement of said second stopper ( 18 ) in the second conveying direction.