A positioning assembly (30) for positioning a sheet material, especially at an entry portion of a sheet material processing machine, is described. It comprises a support beam (32) on which at least a portion of a sheet material to be positioned can be placed and a plurality of clamping fingers (38). The support beam (32) is coupled to a drive unit (60) configured for translationally moving the support beam (32) along a travelling direction (y) of the sheet material, translationally moving the support beam (32) along a direction (x) transverse to the travelling direction (y) and rotationally moving the support beam (32) with respect to a pivot axis (z) being perpendicular to the traveling direction (y) and the transverse direction (x). Each of the clamping fingers (38) is coupled to an individual clamping finger actuation unit (40). Moreover, a sheet material processing machine comprising such a positioning assembly (30) is presented.

A register (20; 60) for a processing machine (1) for processing plate-like elements (10) includes a gripping element (21; 22) for placing the plate-like elements (10) in a gripper bar (31) of a conveyor (30) of a processing machine (1) conveying the plate-like elements (10) in a longitudinal direction, an actuator module (201, 202) to drive the gripping element (21; 22), at least one front correction sensor module (7) configured to measure the front position of register marks (12a) printed on a front section of the plate-like element (10) grasped by the gripping element (21; 22). The register (20; 60) includes at least one front pre-correction sensor module (80), placed upstream of the front correction sensor module (7) in the longitudinal direction, the front pre-correction sensor module (80) is configured: to detect the passage of a front transversel edge of the plate-like element (10) in at least two longitudinally spaced lateral axis of detection (P1, P2), one located in front of the other, and to provide measurements to a computation and control unit (40) of the processing machine (1) that is configured: to control the actuator module (201, 202) in order to move the gripping element (21; 22) toward the gripper bar (31) and to activate the gripping element (21; 22) in order to grasp a plate-like element (10). Also a processing machine for processing plate-like elements includes the register. A method for placing plate-like elements within a processing machine is disclosed.

A register (20; 60) for a processing machine (1) for processing plate-like elements (10) includes a gripping element (21; 22) for placing the plate-like elements (10) in a gripper bar (31) of a conveyor (30) of a processing machine (1) conveying the plate-like elements (10) in a longitudinal direction, an actuator module (201, 202) to drive the gripping element (21; 22), at least one front correction sensor module (7) configured to measure the front position of register marks (12a) printed on a front section of the plate-like element (10) grasped by the gripping element (21; 22). The register (20; 60) includes at least one front pre-correction sensor module (80), placed upstream of the front correction sensor module (7) in the longitudinal direction, the front pre-correction sensor module (80) is configured: to detect the passage of a front transversel edge of the plate-like element (10) in at least two longitudinally spaced lateral axis of detection (P1, P2), one located in front of the other, and to provide measurements to a computation and control unit (40) of the processing machine (1) that is configured: to control the actuator module (201, 202) in order to move the gripping element (21; 22) toward the gripper bar (31) and to activate the gripping element (21; 22) in order to grasp a plate-like element (10). Also a processing machine for processing plate-like elements includes the register. A method for placing plate-like elements within a processing machine is disclosed.

The paper stacking unit includes a paper stacking section on which the paper is stacked, a paper stacking mechanism which carries the paper to the paper stacking section on which the paper is stacked, and an abutment surface on which an end of the paper is abutted. The paper stacking mechanism includes a gripper member for holding the paper and a gripper moving mechanism. The gripper member holds the paper under the first holding force in a moving range from a holding position to a stacking position, and holds the paper under the second holding force upon the abutment of the end of the paper on the abutment surface from the stacking position.

The paper stacking unit includes a paper stacking section on which the paper is stacked, a paper stacking mechanism which carries the paper to the paper stacking section on which the paper is stacked, and an abutment surface on which an end of the paper is abutted. The paper stacking mechanism includes a gripper member for holding the paper and a gripper moving mechanism. The gripper member holds the paper under the first holding force in a moving range from a holding position to a stacking position, and holds the paper under the second holding force upon the abutment of the end of the paper on the abutment surface from the stacking position.

A sheet stacking apparatus includes: a sheet stacking part on which a sheet is stacked; a tilt detection sensor arranged on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet of the sheet stacking part, and which detects a tail end in the conveying direction in the conveyed sheet; a pair of correction rollers arranged on a downstream side in the conveying direction of the tilt detection sensor and arranged immediately before an upstream side in the conveying direction of the sheet stacking part, and which corrects a tilt of the sheet; and a sheet holder that holds the sheet with the tilt corrected by the pair of correction rollers, and conveys and stacks the sheet on the sheet stacking part.

A sheet stacking apparatus includes: a sheet stacking part on which a sheet is stacked; a tilt detection sensor arranged on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the sheet of the sheet stacking part, and which detects a tail end in the conveying direction in the conveyed sheet; a pair of correction rollers arranged on a downstream side in the conveying direction of the tilt detection sensor and arranged immediately before an upstream side in the conveying direction of the sheet stacking part, and which corrects a tilt of the sheet; and a sheet holder that holds the sheet with the tilt corrected by the pair of correction rollers, and conveys and stacks the sheet on the sheet stacking part.

Provided is a print medium finishing apparatus including a print medium stacking plate; a stacker tray; and a print medium discharging apparatus configured to discharge, to the stacker tray, print media on the print medium stacking plate, wherein the print medium discharging apparatus includes at least one driving gear that is rotatable; a moving member configured to move linearly and curvilinearly with respect to the at least one driving gear and including a motion converting gear configured to engage the at least one driving gear and convert rotation of the at least one driving gear into a linear motion and a curvilinear motion; and a grip member configured to be moved linearly and curvilinearly by the moving member while holding the print media on the print medium stacking plate, and to place the print media on the stacker tray.

Provided is a print medium finishing apparatus including a print medium stacking plate; a stacker tray; and a print medium discharging apparatus configured to discharge, to the stacker tray, print media on the print medium stacking plate, wherein the print medium discharging apparatus includes at least one driving gear that is rotatable; a moving member configured to move linearly and curvilinearly with respect to the at least one driving gear and including a motion converting gear configured to engage the at least one driving gear and convert rotation of the at least one driving gear into a linear motion and a curvilinear motion; and a grip member configured to be moved linearly and curvilinearly by the moving member while holding the print media on the print medium stacking plate, and to place the print media on the stacker tray.

The application relates to a method for zigzag folding a material web, the method having the following steps: continuously feeding a material web to be folded into a folding apparatus along a feed direction, alternately gripping the material web in a proximal region of the folding apparatus by means of gripping devices, holding and conveying the material web by means of the gripping devices into a distal region of the folding apparatus, the material web being zigzag folded thereby, and releasing the material web from the gripping devices and depositing the material web in a stack (9) with folds in the distal region, a distance between adjacent gripping devices (4, 5) being equal to a fold length. Furthermore, the application also relates to an apparatus for zigzag folding a material web.