US 11,858,776 B2
Sheet conveying apparatus
Aron Shmaiser, Rishon le Zion (IL); and Nuriel Amir, Yokneam Illit (IL)
Assigned to HIGHCON SYSTEMS LTD., Yavne (IL)
Appl. No. 17/785,559
Filed by HIGHCON SYSTEMS LTD., Yavne (IL)
PCT Filed Oct. 21, 2021, PCT No. PCT/IL2021/051251
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 15, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/091079, PCT Pub. Date May 5, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2016962 (GB), filed on Oct. 26, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0009594 A1, Jan. 12, 2023
Int. Cl. B65H 9/10 (2006.01); B65H 5/02 (2006.01); B65H 5/06 (2006.01); B65H 5/36 (2006.01); B65H 9/16 (2006.01)
CPC B65H 9/101 (2013.01) [B65H 5/025 (2013.01); B65H 5/062 (2013.01); B65H 5/36 (2013.01); B65H 9/16 (2013.01); B65H 2404/147 (2013.01); B65H 2404/15212 (2013.01); B65H 2404/20 (2013.01); B65H 2404/531 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A conveying apparatus for feeding sheets into a processing apparatus,
comprising a plurality of nips within which sheets are gripped and driven along a conveying direction towards the processing apparatus, each nip being defined between a respective drive wheel and an opposing reaction surface, wherein
the drive wheels are omni-wheels configured to apply a frictional force to advance the sheets in the conveying direction while permitting free movement of the sheets in a direction transverse to the conveying direction, the reaction surfaces permitting free movement of the sheets in the transverse direction, and
an elongate guide is arranged on one side of the conveying apparatus, to extend generally parallel to the conveying direction, the conveying apparatus being configured to urge conveyed sheets in the transverse direction into contact with the guide,
wherein
a control system is provided to move the elongate guide generally in the transverse direction in dependence upon sensed fiducials on the conveyed sheets, to ensure correct alignment of the sheets in the transverse direction with respect to the processing apparatus, and
wherein
the conveying apparatus and the processing apparatus are generally aligned with one another, and one or more pusher members is/are provided to contact the lateral edges of the conveyed sheets opposite the edge to be urged against the elongate guide.