A bale of stock packaging material includes a continuous tube of paperboard material, the continuous tube of paperboard material being flattened and folded back and forth on itself into a fan-folded bale. The continuous tube of paperboard can be a single piece of paperboard with two opposed edges that are folded to overlap with each other. The paperboard material can include a corrugated layer. The opposed edges can be adhered together to form a single seam that runs lengthwise along the continuous tube of paperboard. The adhesive can be applied between the two edges which can join to form the single seam.

A folding device is provided, The folding device includes a bearing and fixing mechanism (1) configured to bear and fix a main body portion (21) of a to-be-folded device (2); a folding mechanism (3) located on at least one side of the bearing and fixing mechanism (1), the folding mechanism (3) being rotatably connected to the bearing and fixing mechanism (1) and configured to bear and fix a to-be-folded portion (22) of the to-be-folded device (2); and a driving mechanism (4) connected to the folding mechanism (3), the driving mechanism (4) being configured to drive the folding mechanism (3) to turn relative to the bearing and fixing mechanism (1), so as to fold the to-be-folded portion (22) to a side in a thickness direction of the main body portion (21), The folding device can fold automatically, and manual folding is avoided.

A folding device is provided, The folding device includes a bearing and fixing mechanism (1) configured to bear and fix a main body portion (21) of a to-be-folded device (2); a folding mechanism (3) located on at least one side of the bearing and fixing mechanism (1), the folding mechanism (3) being rotatably connected to the bearing and fixing mechanism (1) and configured to bear and fix a to-be-folded portion (22) of the to-be-folded device (2); and a driving mechanism (4) connected to the folding mechanism (3), the driving mechanism (4) being configured to drive the folding mechanism (3) to turn relative to the bearing and fixing mechanism (1), so as to fold the to-be-folded portion (22) to a side in a thickness direction of the main body portion (21), The folding device can fold automatically, and manual folding is avoided.

A system and method for assembling booklets in document finishers such as saddle staplers includes first and second opposed rollers configured to receive an edge of a stapled crease of a stack of printed documents. The rollers apply both heat and pressure to the crease to form a tight fold. A second set of rollers provides further heat and pressure to the fold to increase tightness even further. Pressure and temperature of one or both roller sets is controllable to accommodate paper stacks having different numbers of pages or different paper characteristics.

A system and method for assembling booklets in document finishers such as saddle staplers includes first and second opposed rollers configured to receive an edge of a stapled crease of a stack of printed documents. The rollers apply both heat and pressure to the crease to form a tight fold. A second set of rollers provides further heat and pressure to the fold to increase tightness even further. Pressure and temperature of one or both roller sets is controllable to accommodate paper stacks having different numbers of pages or different paper characteristics.

A bale of stock packaging material includes a continuous tube of paperboard material, the continuous tube of paperboard material being flattened and folded back and forth on itself into a fan-folded bale. The continuous tube of paperboard can be a single piece of paperboard with two opposed edges that are folded to overlap with each other. The paperboard material can include a corrugated layer. The opposed edges can be adhered together to form a single seam that runs lengthwise along the continuous tube of paperboard. The adhesive can be applied between the two edges which can join to form the single seam.

A sheet folding device includes a folding rollers pair, a folding blade and a sheet guide. The folding rollers pair causes a sheet to pass through a first nip area to fold the sheet. The folding blade includes a blade portion and a pair of arm portions. The blade portion is selectively disposed in a folding position where the blade portion pushes a folded portion of the sheet into the first nip area and in a retracting position where the blade portion is retracted from the folding position. The pair of arm portions couples both end portions of the blade portion with the pivot shaft. The sheet guide can be passed between the pair of arm portions. Between the blade portion and the sheet guide, a retreating path in which a part of the sheet is retreated when the folded portion is pushed into the first nip area.

A sheet folding device includes a folding rollers pair, a folding blade and a sheet guide. The folding rollers pair causes a sheet to pass through a first nip area to fold the sheet. The folding blade includes a blade portion and a pair of arm portions. The blade portion is selectively disposed in a folding position where the blade portion pushes a folded portion of the sheet into the first nip area and in a retracting position where the blade portion is retracted from the folding position. The pair of arm portions couples both end portions of the blade portion with the pivot shaft. The sheet guide can be passed between the pair of arm portions. Between the blade portion and the sheet guide, a retreating path in which a part of the sheet is retreated when the folded portion is pushed into the first nip area.

A method of folding a sheet of paper. The method includes: folding the sheet of paper into an accordion shape comprising a plurality of pleats and collapsing the pleats to form a strip; folding the strip about in half to form a first folded strip; folding the first folded strip about a point that is about two-thirds a length of the first folded strip to form a second folded strip comprising an exposed portion that is about a third the length of the first folded strip; and folding the second folded strip about in half to form a third folded strip.

A method of folding a sheet of paper. The method includes: folding the sheet of paper into an accordion shape comprising a plurality of pleats and collapsing the pleats to form a strip; folding the strip about in half to form a first folded strip; folding the first folded strip about a point that is about two-thirds a length of the first folded strip to form a second folded strip comprising an exposed portion that is about a third the length of the first folded strip; and folding the second folded strip about in half to form a third folded strip.