Stitcher/stapler for binding multi-sheet collations and method of operating the same

1. A system for binding variable thickness multi-sheet collations, comprising:

a first processing station including a stitcher;

a second processing station including a stapler;

a means for determining the thickness of a multi-sheet collation and issuing a thickness value signal indicative thereof;

a processor, responsive to the thickness value signal, for selecting one of the first and second processing stations to bind the multi-sheet collation and issuing a command signal indicative thereof

a system, responsive to the command signal, for conveying a multi-sheet collation to the selected one of the first and second processing stations.

2. The system according to claim 1 wherein the first processing station is selected when the thickness of the multi-sheet collation is less than or equal to a threshold value.

3. The system according to claim 2 wherein the threshold value is less than or equal to about 0.45 inches.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein the second processing station is selected when the thickness of the multi-sheet collation is greater than a threshold value.

5. The system according to claim 4 wherein the threshold value is greater than about 0.45 inches.

6. The system according to claim 1 further comprising opposed pairs of registration members disposed at each of the processing stations, the registration members adapted to engage the edges of the multi-sheet collation and a displacement mechanism operative to oscillate the registration members into and out of engagement with the edges for alignment thereof for a threshold number of cycles and wherein the processor determines the number of cycles to oscillate the displacement mechanism and registration members based upon the thickness dimension of the multi-sheet collation.

7. The system according to claim 6 wherein the number of cycles decrease as the thickness dimension of the multi-sheet collation decreases.

8. The system according to claim 7 wherein the number of cycles decrease from about eight (8) when the thickness dimension is less than or equal to about 0.45 inches to about three (3) cycles when the thickness dimension is greater than or equal to about 0.1 inches.

9. A method for binding variable thickness multi-sheet collations comprising the steps of:

stacking sheet material to produce a multi-sheet collation;

determining the thickness of the multi-sheet collation;

selecting an apparatus to bind the multi-sheet collation from one of at least two binding apparatuses based upon the thickness of the multi-sheet collation;

conveying the multi-sheet collation along a feed path to one of the at least two binding apparatuses; and

binding the multi-sheet collation.

10. The method according to claim 9 wherein the binding apparatus define first and second processing stations each having pairs of opposed registration members, each registration member defining a registration surface, and further comprising the steps of:

disposing the multi-sheet collation between one of the pairs of opposed registration members, and

aligning opposed edges of the multi-sheet collation by oscillating at least one registration surface into and out of engagement with at least one of the opposed edges based upon the thickness of the multi-sheet collation.

11. The method according to claim 10 wherein the registration surfaces are oscillated a threshold number of cycles to align the edges of the multi-sheet collation and wherein the alignment step further comprises the step of:

decreasing the number of cycles as the thickness dimension of the multi-sheet collation decreases.

12. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alignment step further comprises the step of:

decreasing the number of cycles from about eight (8) when the thickness dimension is less than or equal to about 0.45 inches to about three (3) cycles when the thickness dimension is greater than or equal to about 0.1 inches.

13. The method according to claim 10 wherein the first and second processing stations are serially arranged along the feed path, wherein the opposed registration members extend laterally across the feed path, and wherein the conveyance and alignment steps further comprise the steps of:

lowering the registration members to an idle position below a support surface of a transport deck such that the multi-sheet collation may pass over the registration surfaces for conveyance to a processing station downstream of one of the first and second processing stations, and

raising the registration members to an active position above the support surface of the transport deck to oscillate and align the edges of the multi-sheet collation.

14. The method according to claim 10 wherein the first and second processing stations are serially arranged along the feed path, wherein the opposed registration members are disposed parallel to the feed path and wherein the conveyance and alignment steps further comprise the steps of:

extending the registration members along the feed path and across the first and second processing stations such that the registration members may align the side edges of a multi-sheet collation at either of the first and second processing stations.

15. The method according to claim 9 wherein the step of determining the thickness of the collation includes the step of:

reading a scan code on a sheet of material associated with the collation.