COLLECTOR APPARATUS AND METHOD

摘要

The invention is directed to a collector apparatus and method for collecting and advancing sheet articles in high speed media processing. A conventional collecting apparatus includes a collector plate with continuously running transport belts for advancing and collecting the sheets, movable stop brackets for stopping the sheets on the collector plate, and upper idler drop rollers for pressing the collected sheets against the belts to facilitate movement of the collected sheets. The conventional apparatus maintained continuous contact between the collected sheets and the continuously running sheets, leading to smearing of toner on the sheets and limited the sheet collecting capacity of the apparatus. The present invention overcomes these drawbacks by selectively inhibiting contact between the collected sheets and the transport mechanism. The collecting apparatus (10) includes a collector plate (12) having a sheet collection surface (14); movable stop brackets (20A, 20B) for temporarily stopping sheet advancement; upper idler stop rollers (52A, 52B) movable toward the collector plate; and a transport mechanism (B1, B2) movable through an opening in the collector plate to selectively advance the sheets.