Apparatus and methods are provided for folding discrete items such as diapers at high speeds. Discrete items are conveyed in a machine direction toward a pair of engaging members rotating in the machine direction and first carrying a top side of a leading edge of the discrete item with a first engaging member away from the conveyor, and then carrying a bottom side of the leading edge with a second engaging member back towards the conveyor. The diaper fold is created at a contact point with a folding finger which travels rotationally and straight in a fixed orientation about a travel path into and out of contact with the diaper.

This system is provided with: a conveying device 1 that conveys paper P along a conveying path F; a sheet paper supply device 2, paper-folding device, or cutter connected to an upstream end of the conveying path; a gathering device 3 disposed midway through the conveying path; a saddle stitch device 7 connected to a downstream end of the conveying path; and a management unit 13 that collectively controls the conveying device, the sheet paper supply device, the paper-folding device, the cutter, the gathering device, and the saddle stitch device. The gathering device can switch operation between a non-operating mode, a first operating mode for operating as a primary gathering device, and a second operating mode for operating as a paper insertion device.

This system is provided with: a conveying device 1 that conveys paper P along a conveying path F; a sheet paper supply device 2, paper-folding device, or cutter connected to an upstream end of the conveying path; a gathering device 3 disposed midway through the conveying path; a saddle stitch device 7 connected to a downstream end of the conveying path; and a management unit 13 that collectively controls the conveying device, the sheet paper supply device, the paper-folding device, the cutter, the gathering device, and the saddle stitch device. The gathering device can switch operation between a non-operating mode, a first operating mode for operating as a primary gathering device, and a second operating mode for operating as a paper insertion device.

A printing system comprises: a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet; and a control unit configured to control to perform creasing at a first pressure at a portion, corresponding to an edge of a spine cover, of the sheet on which the printing unit has printed the image, and perform creasing at a second pressure different from the first pressure at a portion of the sheet that corresponds to a hinge.

A printing system comprises: a printing unit configured to print an image on a sheet; and a control unit configured to control to perform creasing at a first pressure at a portion, corresponding to an edge of a spine cover, of the sheet on which the printing unit has printed the image, and perform creasing at a second pressure different from the first pressure at a portion of the sheet that corresponds to a hinge.

Apparatus and methods for forming three dimensional structures from a sheet of material of a desired medium are described. Examples described include an apparatus for folding a sheet of material to create a folded structure, the apparatus having a first and second array of creasing elements, and at least one actuator for causing relative movement of the first and second array of creasing elements from a first position to a second position.

Apparatus and methods for forming three dimensional structures from a sheet of material of a desired medium are described. Examples described include an apparatus for folding a sheet of material to create a folded structure, the apparatus having a first and second array of creasing elements, and at least one actuator for causing relative movement of the first and second array of creasing elements from a first position to a second position.

A method for generating a folding instruction for folding a stack of sheets into a document includes the steps of, for each sheet of the stack of sheets, receiving a folding action on the sheet defined by a fold type and an orientation relative to an observer, the fold type selected out of a mountain fold right, a mountain fold left, a mountain fold bottom, a mountain fold top, a valley fold right, a valley fold left, a valley fold bottom and a valley fold top; generating a function which has the folding action and the sheet as input and an ordered list of new sheets with an orientation relative to the observer of each new sheet of the list of new sheets as output; repeatedly applying the previous steps to each sheet of the at least one list of new sheets until the sheets in the last applied previous steps form the document; and generating a folding instruction including a concatenation of the at least one generated function on the stack of sheets, the folding instruction intended to be transmitted to a folding device for folding the stack of sheets into the document. A folding device and a document processing system for applying the method are also disclosed.

A method for generating a folding instruction for folding a stack of sheets into a document includes the steps of, for each sheet of the stack of sheets, receiving a folding action on the sheet defined by a fold type and an orientation relative to an observer, the fold type selected out of a mountain fold right, a mountain fold left, a mountain fold bottom, a mountain fold top, a valley fold right, a valley fold left, a valley fold bottom and a valley fold top; generating a function which has the folding action and the sheet as input and an ordered list of new sheets with an orientation relative to the observer of each new sheet of the list of new sheets as output; repeatedly applying the previous steps to each sheet of the at least one list of new sheets until the sheets in the last applied previous steps form the document; and generating a folding instruction including a concatenation of the at least one generated function on the stack of sheets, the folding instruction intended to be transmitted to a folding device for folding the stack of sheets into the document. A folding device and a document processing system for applying the method are also disclosed.

A sheet folding apparatus for folding a sheet is provided with a hold member that holds a transported sheet in a substantially cylindrical shape, a shift member that presses the outer circumferential surface of the sheet of the substantially cylindrical shape held by the hold member to make a substantially flat shape, and a discharge section that further presses the sheet made the substantially flat shape by the shift member, while discharging in a direction crossing a transport direction. By this means, it is possible to provide a relatively compact sheet folding apparatus.