[0001] This invention relates generally to a sheet handling apparatus, and more particularly
concerns an apparatus having a plurality of bins for receiving sheets therein. Such
a sheet handling apparatus is especially useful in a reproducing machine such as an
electrophotographic printing machine.
[0002] Generally, in an electrophotographic printing machine, successive copies of original
documents are formed by recording a latent image of the original document on the photoconductive
surface, developing the latent image, transferring the resultant powder image to a
copy sheet, and permanently fusing the powder image to the copy sheet. In some electrophotographic
printing machines, only one run of copies can be produced automatically, i.e. an original
document containing a single image is placed on a document glass. Upon actuation of
a start button, or suitable document sensing apparatus, the electrophotographic printing
machine produces a given number of copies in accordance with the operators selected
number on the control panel of the printing machine. Upon completion of the copies,the
printing machine automatically stops. However, in some instances, a semi-automatic
document feeder enables an operator to provide a succession of original documents,
in a semi-automatic mode, to a document glass. In such instances, the printing machine
senses the presence of an additional original document and then automatically restarts
the making of a second run. Alternatively, some electrophotographic printing machines
have a recirculating document handling system, the machine will automatically handle
original documents for providing collated sets without collating the produced copies.
Frequently, a collator for producing collated copies can be attached to the printing
machine. The collator may be a sorter which comprises a plurality of bins or trays
with each bin receiving successive copies or sets of copies therein. After the requisite
number of copies have been made and stored in the respective bins of the sorter, the
operator removes the collated sets of copies therefrom. When a copying machine is
accessed from a remotely located workstation, there may be some time lag between the
time when the copies are reproduced and the time when the operator collects the collated
sets of copies. Furthermore, when several individuals are utilizing a centralized
reproducing machine, frequently more than one individual is waiting to make copies
at the printing machine. Under either of the foregoing circumstances, it is difficult
to prevent individuals, not having a need to know, from seeing confidential documents.
Thus, it is highly desirable to advance the copy sheets to bins which are lockable.
Under these circumstances, only the individual having a need to know the information
contained on the document would have access to the lockable bins. This precludes others
from inadvertently or deliberately obtaining the information on the confidential document.
Various techniques have been devised to achieve the foregoing, such as those described
in the following disclosures.
[0003] US-A-4 166 030 discloses an apparatus for handling documents, such as bank notes.
The documents are read by a detector to determine if they are in a fit or unfit condition.
If unfit, they are advanced to a shredder. Fit documents are advanced to a stacker.
The documents cannot be illegally removed from the apparatus.
[0004] US-A-4 437 660 describes a word processor printer output scanning mechanism which
scans a plurality of output bins to determine the availability of a bin for receiving
documents and the presence of a lock box therein. When a lock box is inserted in one
of the bins, the scanner detects which bin contains the lock box and signals to which
lock box the documents should be directed.
[0005] US-A-4 470 356 discloses a word processor controlled printer output bin lock box.
A computer controls a sheet feed which selectively directs sheets from a printer to
a predetermined output bin. A lock box can be inserted and removed from the output
bins of the printer. The lock box can only be opened by an individual having a key
or the appropriate access code.
[0006] US Defensive Publication T 102 102 discloses bins positioned at a copier output which
are locked to the user by means of a badge reader or the like. The user enters identification
data into the copier to enable the copier to operate. The document platen cover is
latched and user identification data is recorded on the first copy which is delivered
to the locked bin. The number of copies selected by the user are then processed and
delivered to user accessible bins. The platen cover is thereafter unlatched to allow
recovery of the original document by the user.
[0007] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sheet
handling apparatus including a plurality of bins for receiving sheets therein, characterised
by means for selecting one of the bins to receive the sheets therein; and means for
locking the bin selected to receive the sheets therein so as to prevent access to
the sheets received in the selected bin by unauthorized individuals.
[0008] Pursuant to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a reproducing
machine for producing copies of originals on paper sheets, including a sheet handling
apparatus of the kind defined by the previous paragraph.
[0009] Other aspects of the present invention will become apparent as the following description
proceeds and upon reference to the drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a schematic elevational view depicting an illustrative reproducing machine
incorporating the apparatus of the present invention therein;
Figure 2 is an elevational view depicting the details of the collating apparatus of
the Figure 1 reproducing machine; and
Figure 3 is a block diagram illustrating the system used to control the Figure 2 collating
apparatus.
[0010] For a general understanding of the features of the present invention, reference is
made to the drawings. In the drawings, like reference numerals have been used throughout
to designate identical elements. Figure 1 schematically depicts the reproducing machine
including the collating/sorting apparatus of the present invention. It will become
evident from the following discussion that the apparatus of the present invention
is equally well suited for use in a wide variety of printing systems or other types
of devices wherein it is desired to sort or collate sheets. The features of the present
invention are not specifically limited in their application to the particular embodiment
depicted herein.
[0011] Referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, the general operation of the reproducing
machine and that of the collating/sorting apparatus associated therewith will be described
with reference thereto. Inasmuch as the art of electrophotographic printing is well
known, the reproducing machine operation will be described briefly hereinafter.
[0012] The electrophotographic printing machine, generally designated by the reference numeral
10, is capable of producing a stream of copy sheets having information copied either
on one side only, simplex sheets, or on both sides, duplex sheets. A recirculating
document feeder 12 is shown positioned above a platen at the imaging station of printing
machine 10. Document feeder 12 is adapted to feed original documents, in seriatim,
to the platen for copying. Usually, document feeder 12 operates in a collating mode,
original documents are fed, in seriatim, from a stack in a tray at the top of the
feeder to the platen for copying one at a time for each circulation and then returned
to the stack. The original documents are placed in the feeder in a predetermined,
page sequential order. For example, the first page is on top of the stack and the
last page is at the bottom of the stack. The last original document is sent to the
platen first and then returned to the top of the stack. The machine operator can control
operation of the electrophotographic printing machine and its related apparatus through
an operator control panel designated generally by the reference numeral 14. To this
end, the machine operator can determine whether a set of copies will be stored in
a lockable or unlockable bin in the collating/sorting apparatus, designated generally
by the reference numeral 16.
[0013] In general, the electrophotographic printing machine includes a belt having a photoconductive
surface deposited on a a conductive substrate. The belt advances successive portions
of the photoconductive surface to various processing stations disposed about the path
of movement thereof. Initially, a portion of the belt passes through a charging station.
At the charging station, a corona generating device charges the photoconductive surface
of the belt to a relatively high, substantially uniform potential Thereafter, the
charged portion of the photoconductive surface is advanced through the imaging station.
At the imaging station, an original document is advanced to a platen by recirculating
document handling system 12. Lamps flash light rays onto the original document. The
light rays reflected from the original document are transmitted through a lens forming
a light image thereof. The lens focuses the light image onto the charged portion of
the photoconductive surface to selectively dissipate the charge thereon. This records
an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductive surface which corresponds to
the informational areas contained within the original document disposed upon the platen.
Thereafter, the belt advances the electrostatic latent image recorded on the photoconductive
surface to a development station. At the development station, a magnetic brush development
system transports a developer mixture of carrier granules and toner particles into
contact with the electrostatic latent image recorded on the photoconductive surface.
The toner particles are attracted from the carrier granules to the electrostatic latent
image forming a toner powder image on the photoconductive surface of the belt. After
development, the belt advances the toner powder image to a transfer station. At the
transfer station, a copy sheet is moved into contact with the toner powder image.
A corona generating device sprays ions onto the backside of the copy sheet. This attracts
the toner powder image from the photoconductive surface to the copy sheet. After transfer,the
copy sheet moves to the fusing station. The fusing station includes a fuser assembly
which permanently affixes the transferred toner powder image to the copy sheet. By
way of example, the fuser assembly includes a heated fuser roll and back-up roll.
The copy sheet passes between the fuser roll and the back-up roll with the toner powder
image contacting the fuser roll. In this manner, the toner powder image is permanently
affixed to the copy sheet. After fusing, a conveyor belt guides the advancing sheet
to collating/sorting apparatus 16. The advanced sheet is guided to the selected bin
in collating/sorting apparatus.16. The bin selected may be a lockable bin or an unlockable
bin. The destination of the copy sheet is determined by a code which the operator
punches in on a numeric display on control panel 14. The numeric display sends a signal
to suitable control logic,which, in turn, controls collating/sorting apparatus 16
such that the advancing copy sheet is guided to the appropriate bin. If a lockable
bin is selected, the operator punches in the desired combination required to unlock
the selected bin. Under these circumstances, the bin is locked and may only be opened
with the selected combination. Furthermore, when the operator selects a lockable bin,
the printing machine control logic insures that the access doors to the interior of
the printing machine are locked to prevent unauthorized access thereto during machine
operation or in the event of a sheet jam. The foregoing describes generally the operation
of the reproducing machine having a collating/sorting apparatus associated therewith.
It is believed that the foregoing description is sufficient for purposes of the present
application to illustrate the general operation of the system. The detailed structure
of collating/sorting apparatus 16 and the associate control system will be described
hereinafter, in greater detail, with reference to Figures 2 and 3.
[0014] Referring now to Figure 2, collating/sorting apparatus 16 is arranged adjacent the
output of printing machine 10. As the copy sheet exits from the fuser, it is carried
by a conveyor belt to the exit of printing 10. The sheet continues to move in the
direction of arrow 18 on a conveyor belt 20. A deflection gate or chute 22 is arranged
to deflect the sheet from the horizontal conveyor belt 20 onto a vertical conveyor
belt 24. Conveyor belt 24 moves the sheet in a vertical direction downwardly until
it engages a moving gate 26 which deflects the sheet into a bin 28. Collating/sorting
apparatus 16 is composed of a plurality of sorting bins, indicated generally by the
reference numeral 28, arranged in a parallel fashion, one above the other, to provide
a vertical row of bins. Each bin is defined by a sheet receiving tray 30. By way of
example, bins 32, 34 and 36 are lockable whereas the remaining bins are unlockable.
Lockable bins 32, 34, 36 included a hinged door 38. Door 38 is adapted to pivot downwardly
so as to open lockable bins 32, 34 and 36 and enable the operator to have access to
the interior thereof. Doors 38 are hinged on the lowermost portion thereof so that,
as they pivot downwardly, they provide an additional surface for sliding copy sheets
outwardly from the interior of the lockable bins 32, 34 and 36. Doors 38 are spring
biased to pivot in an upwardly direction to return to the closed, locked position
when not held open. An interlock switch is associated with doors 38 to detect when
the door is in the open position. At this time, the printing machine may be disabled.
Thus, the printing machine will not be capable or reproducing copies until the interlock
switch indicates that all of the doors of the lockable bins are in the locked position.
[0015] One skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many ways of locking the bins
in response to an electrical signal corresponding to a desired combination key punched
in on a numeric display. By way of example, an electromagnet may be employed which
is energized to lock the bins and de-energized to unlock the bins. Alternatively,
if positive engagement is required, a solenoid may be used in which the plunger thereof
will engage an aperture in door 38 to positively secure the door in the locked position.
When the solenoid is de-energized, the plunger is retracted from the aperture in door
38 and door 38 may be pivoted to its opened position. In either of the foregoing types
of locks, the combination required to lock the bin may be punched in by the key operator
on the numeric display panel of the reproducing machine. The remaining bins 28 are
not lockable and, accordingly, do not require a hinged or pivotably mounted door and
the associate lock.
[0016] Gate 26 is mounted on a drive system for movement in a vertical direction. A suitable
drive system may be a rack and pinion arrangement. As the pinion is rotated, the rack
moves gate 26 vertically. Thus, the operator selects the desired bin by keypunching
in the bin number on the numeric display of the control panel 14. This actuates the
an indexing motor of the drive system to rotate the pinion such that the rack advances
the gate to the selected bin. Hence, gate 26 moves vertically in the directions of
the arrow 40. When gate 26 is aligned with the selected bin, the copy sheet advancing
downwardly on conveyor belt 24 is guided therein. Thus, the key operator may select
either a lockable bin or an unlockable bin for receiving the copy sheets.
[0017] Turning now to Figure 3, there is shown the detailed structure of the control system
for selecting the bin to which the copy sheets are advanced. As shown thereat, control
panel 14 includes a numeric display 42. The operator initially determines the bin
to which the copy sheets are to be directed. The selected bin number is punched in
on the numeric display 42. An output signal is transmitted from control panel 14 to
control logic 44. Control logic 44 includes a closed loop servo system for regulating
indexing motor 48. Indexing motor 48 rotates the pinion which moves the rack that
advances gate 26 vertically. Indexing motor 48 is energized until the error signal
from the servo system of control logic 44 is nulled. When the error signal from the
servo system is nulled, motor 48 is de-energized. At this time, gate 26 no longer
moves in a vertical direction and is positioned at the selected bin. In the event
that the operator selects a lockable bin, i.e. bins 32, 34 or 36, after gate 26 is
positioned at the selected lockable bin, the operator key punches in on numeric display
42 the desired combination required to unlock the selected bin. Lock 46 which is associated
with lockable bin is controlled by control logic 44. Control logic 44 transmits a
signal de-energizing the electromagnetic or de-energizing the solenoid when the appropriate
signal corresponding to the correct combination of numbers is received from numeric
display 42. Thus, the copy sheet is guided to the selected lockable tray which, in
the default condition, is locked. The operator key punches in the selected combination
required to unlock the lockable bin. When the appropriate combination is keypunched
in on numeric display 42, control logic 44 transmits a signal to lock 46 de-energizing
the electromagnet or de-energizing the solenoid. At this time, the bin is unlocked,
i.e. door 38 may be pivoted downwardly to provide access to the interior of the bin.
[0018] One skilled in the art will appreciate that the lockable bins may have permanent
combination codes assigned thereto. Thus, each lockable bin would have a permanent
non-operator settable combination associated therewith. The operator would then only
need to key punch in the pre-assigned combination to unlock the designated bin having
the set of copy sheets therein. There would be no need to set the combination required
to unlock the bin door.
[0019] While the foregoing has been described for use with a reproducing machine having
a numeric display integral with the control panel thereof, one skilled in the art
will appreciate that a shared reproducing machine may also be employed to achieve
the foregoing . For example, if a laser printing system , such as the Xerox Model
No. 9700 or Xerox Model No. 5700, is employed in conjunction with a computer, e.g.
Xerox Model No. 8010 or Xerox Model No. 6085, the numeric display may be located on
the computer. In this embodiment, the laser printer is substantially the same as the
reproducing machine with the exception that the optical system is no longer a light
lens system, but rather a laser which is modulated in accordance with electrical signals
received from the computer to record the desired electrostatic latent image on the
photoconductive surface. This latent image is developed and transferred to the copy
sheet. Thereafter, the latent image is permanently affixed thereto. The copy sheet
is advanced to the selected bin. In this latter embodiment, the selected bin is determined
by the computer operator at the computer console. Thus, the computer operator may
print out the desired information on the computer screen at a remote location, i.e.
the laser printer. The resultant copy sheet is advanced to a selected bin. The computer
operator selects whether the bin is to be a lockable bin or an unlockable bin. If
the selected bin is lockable, it may only be opened by an operator having the selected
combination. Thus, only an individual having a need to know has access to the lockable
bin holding the copy sheets with the confidential information thereon. The lockable
bin may be be employed by a plurality of operators with each operator selecting their
own combination to unlock the bin. Under these circumstances, each operator will have
their own combination which is not known by any other operator and provides access
to the lockable bins by only that operator. In is a system of this type, a secure
bin is provided for receiving confidential information.
[0020] In recapitulation, it is clear that the collating/sorting apparatus of the present
invention includes lockable and unlockable bins for receiving copy sheets from a reproducing
machine. The key operator may select the destination of the copy sheets and define
the required combination code to unlock a lockable bin. This ensures that confidential
information being reproduced is accessible only to those who have a need to know.
1. A sheet handling apparatus including a plurality of bins (28) for receiving sheets
therein, characterised by
means (42, 44, 48, 26) for selecting one of the bins to receive the sheets therein;
and
means (46, 24) for locking the bin selected to receive the sheets therein so as
to prevent access to the sheets received in the selected bin by unauthorized individuals.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, including means for unlocking the locked bin
to remove the sheets therein.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein at least one of the other
bins is not lockable.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said selecting means is operator selectable
to select either the lockable bin or unlockable bin to receive sheets therein.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4, including means for setting a combination code
for locking the selected bin.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said setting means includes an operator
actuatable numeric display in communication with said locking means to enable the
operator to program the combination required to unlock the bin.
7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said selecting means includes said numeric
display to select the bin to receive the sheet.
8. A reproducing machine for producing copies of originals on paper sheets, including
a sheet handling apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
9. A reproducing machine according to claim 8, wherein said selecting means is located
on the machine.
10. A reproducing machine according to claim 8, wherein said selecting means is located
remotely from the machine.