1. A method comprising:
feeding a stack of substrate sheets into a first set of rollers by driving an approximate midpoint section of the stack of substrate sheets toward a contact point of the first set of rollers;
rolling the first set of rollers to receive the approximate midpoint section of the stack of substrate sheets from feeding at a first side of the first set of rollers and passing the stack of substrate sheets to a second set of rollers in a first direction to fold the stack of substrate sheets at the approximate midpoint section to form a closed end of the folded stack of substrate sheets and an open end of the folded stack of substrate sheets;
receiving the folded approximate midpoint section of the stack of substrate sheets from rolling the first set of rollers at a first side of the second set of rollers;
reversing from the first direction and rolling the first and second sets of rollers to cause the stack of substrate sheets to travel in a second direction such that the open end of the stack of substrate sheets is received at a second side of the first set of rollers;
stopping the first set of rollers to hold the open end of the stack of substrate sheets with the first set of rollers after receiving the stack of substrate sheets at the second side of the first set of rollers;
reversing from the second direction and rolling the first and second sets of rollers to cause the stack of substrate sheets to travel again in the first direction; and
after reversing from the second direction, again receiving the folded approximate midpoint section at a contact point of the second set of rollers and passing the stack of substrate sheets to a second side of the second set of rollers.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:
positioning the stack of substrate sheets for folding from an aperture in a curved form.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack of substrate sheets is a stack of non-continuous substrate sheets.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack of substrate sheets has a staggered fold configuration after passing the stack of substrate sheets to the second side of the second set of rollers.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the stack of substrate sheets has a configuration of stepped creases after passing the stack of substrate sheets to the second side of the second set of rollers.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first direction is a downstream direction and the second direction is an upstream direction.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein feeding includes sliding a slidable object to push the approximate midpoint section to begin folding of the stack of substrate sheets.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the positioning the stack of substrate sheets for folding includes positioning the stack along a concave surface of a pair of curved forms, temporarily securing the stack of substrate sheets to a portion of the concave surface of the pair of curved forms, and releasing the stack when the approximate midpoint section is between the first set of rollers.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein the approximate midpoint section of the stack of substrate sheets is at a midpoint of the stack of substrate sheets.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the approximate midpoint section of the stack of substrate sheets is at a point including a deviation of no more than 10% from a midpoint of the stack of substrate sheets.
11. A system for folding substrate sheets comprising:
a roller assembly including a first set of opposing rollers, a second set of opposing rollers juxtaposed with the first set of opposing rollers, and a third set of opposing rollers downstream from the second set of opposing rollers;
a positioning mechanism including a sheet guide having an upper curved form and a lower curved form, the upper and lower curved forms forming an elongated aperture therebetween, the upper curved form including a first flange adjacent the elongated aperture and extending downwardly and toward the roller assembly, the lower curved form including a second flange adjacent the aperture and extending upwardly and toward the roller assembly,
the positioning mechanism further including a slidable object slidably positioned to extend through the elongated aperture between the upper and lower curved forms to push a stack of substrate sheets in the curved position toward the roller assembly; and
a controller communicatively coupled with the roller assembly and configured to control rotation of the first and second sets of opposing rollers to draw at least a portion of the stack of substrate sheets through the first and second sets of opposing rollers, rotation of the second and third sets of rollers to draw at least a folded portion of the stack through the second and third sets of opposing rollers, reverse direction of rotation to draw at least the folded portion of the stack of substrate sheets back through the third set of opposing rollers, and thereafter reverse the direction of rotation to drive the folded portion of the stack between the third set of opposing rollers.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the first set of opposing rollers is positioned proximate the upper curved form and the lower curved form and aligned with a center of the elongated aperture.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the slidable object is configured and arranged to push at least a portion of the stack of substrate sheets through the elongated aperture.
14. The system of claim 11, wherein the upper curved form has a first concave side facing away from the roller assembly and configured for deflecting the stack while guiding the stack into the curved position for folding with the stack being in contact with the first concave side,
wherein the lower curved form has a second concave side facing away from the roller assembly and configured for deflecting the stack of substrate sheets while guiding the stack of substrate sheets into the curved position for folding with the stack of substrate sheets being in contact with the second concave side, and
wherein the second flange extends away from the second concave side in a direction of travel of the stack of substrate sheets through the aperture.
15. The system of claim 11, wherein the first flange extends downwardly toward the elongated aperture to narrow the aperture in a travel direction of the stack of substrate sheets through the aperture and the second flange extends upwardly toward the aperture to narrow the aperture in the travel direction of the stack of substrate sheets through the aperture.
16. The system of claim 11, wherein the stack of substrate sheets includes a stack of at least two sheets of paper, coated paper, printable polymers, or combinations thereof.
17. A system comprising:
a roller assembly configured; and
a positioning mechanism configured to position a stack of substrate sheets for entry into the roller assembly, the positioning mechanism including an upper curved form and a lower curved form to guide the stack of substrate sheets into a curved position, the upper and lower curved forms forming an elongated aperture therebetween, the positioning mechanism further including a slidable object slidably positioned to extend through the elongated aperture between the upper and lower curved forms to push the stack of substrate sheets in the curved position toward the roller assembly and a clamping mechanism proximate one of the upper and lower curved forms to secure the stack of substrate sheets to a portion of a concave surface of the upper and lower curved forms,
wherein the clamping mechanism is configured to release the stack of substrate sheets after the slidable object extends through the elongated aperture.
18. The system of claim 17, wherein the positioning mechanism further comprises a position sensor communicatively coupled to the clamping mechanism to detect a presence of a leading edge of the stack of substrate sheets at a lower end portion of the lower curved form and to activate the clamping mechanism based on detection of the presence.
19. The system of claim 17, further comprising:
a controller communicatively coupled with the roller assembly;
wherein the roller assembly includes a first set of opposing rollers and a second set of opposing rollers juxtaposed with the first set of opposing rollers, the first and second sets of opposing rollers being configured and arranged to rotate to draw at least a portion of the stack of substrate sheets through the first set of opposing rollers and the second set of opposing rollers, the roller assembly further including a third set of opposing rollers downstream from the second set of opposing rollers, the first set of opposing rollers includes two rollers that always rotate in opposite directions when moving the stack of substrate sheets,
wherein the second set of opposing rollers includes two rollers that always rotate in opposite directions when moving the stack of substrate sheets,
wherein the second and third sets of rollers are configured and arranged to reverse direction of rotation to draw at least the folded portion of the stack back through the third set of rollers, and thereafter to reverse the direction of rotation to drive the folded portion of the stack between the third set of opposing rollers, and
wherein the controller is programmed to control rotation of the first set of opposing rollers, second set of opposing rollers, and third set of opposing rollers.
20. The system of claim 17, wherein the upper curved form includes a first flange adjacent the aperture and extending downwardly and toward the roller assembly, and wherein the lower curved form includes a second flange adjacent the aperture and extending upwardly and toward the roller assembly.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A starter system for an engine having a stop-start capability, the starter system comprising:
a first gear coupled to the engine, such that the first gear rotates at a speed of the engine; and
a starter arranged relative to the engine, the starter having:
a second gear arranged to selectively mesh with and apply torque to the first gear in order to start the engine, wherein the second gear is capable of rotating at the speed of the engine;
a synchronizer device configured to substantially match the speed of the second gear with the speed of the engine prior to engagement of the first and second gears, such that the second gear is enabled to mesh with and apply torque to the first gear to thereby start the engine; and
an over-running clutch operatively connected to the second gear, arranged to be displaced toward the first gear, and configured to transmit the starter torque to the second gear when the first gear rotates slower than the second gear and freewheel when the first gear rotates faster than the second gear;
wherein the first gear includes a first frictional surface and the synchronizer device includes a second frictional surface configured to be driven into contact with the first frictional surface to thereby substantially match the speed of the second gear with the speed of the engine.
2. The starter system of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second frictional surfaces are substantially complementary conical surfaces.
3. The starter system of claim 1, wherein the second frictional surface is formed from a plastic material.
4. The starter system of claim 1, wherein the starter additionally includes a spring arranged between the synchronizer and the over-running clutch to thereby urge the synchronizer device away from the over-running clutch and toward the first gear.
5. The starter system of claim 4, wherein the starter additionally includes a shaft fixedly connecting the second gear and the over-running clutch, the synchronizer device is disposed on the shaft between the second gear and the over-running clutch, and each of the shaft and the synchronizer device includes complementary splines such that the synchronizer device slides along the shaft and compresses the spring when the second gear is being meshed with the first gear.
6. The starter system of claim 4, wherein the starter additionally includes a solenoid configured to displace the over-running clutch toward the first gear and thereby urge the synchronizer device by the action of the spring toward the frictional surface.
7. The starter system of claim 1, wherein the engine is arranged in a hybrid-electric type motor vehicle and is configured to be selectively shut off and re-started via the starter for powering the vehicle.
8. The starter system of claim 1, wherein the starter is configured to be operated by a 12-volt electrical system.
9. A motor vehicle comprising:
an engine having a stop-start capability; and
a starter system arranged relative to the engine, the starter system including:
a first gear coupled to the engine, such that the first gear rotates at a speed of the engine; and
a starter having:
a second gear arranged to selectively mesh with and apply torque to the first gear in order to start the engine, wherein the second gear is capable of rotating at the speed of the engine; and
a synchronizer device configured to substantially match the speed of the second gear with the speed of the engine prior to engagement of the first and second gears, such that the second gear is enabled to mesh with and apply torque to the first gear to thereby start the engine for powering the vehicle; and
an over-running clutch operatively connected to the second gear, arranged to be displaced toward the first gear, and configured to transmit the starter torque to the second gear when the first gear rotates slower than the second gear and freewheel when the first gear rotates faster than the second gear;
wherein the first gear includes a first frictional surface and the synchronizer device includes a second frictional surface configured to be driven into contact with the first frictional surface to thereby substantially match the speed of the second gear with the speed of the engine.
10. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein each of the first and second frictional surfaces are substantially complementary conical surfaces.
11. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the second frictional surface is formed from a plastic material.
12. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the starter additionally includes a spring arranged between the synchronizer device and the over-running clutch to thereby urge the synchronizer device away from the over-running clutch and toward the first gear.
13. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the starter additionally includes a shaft fixedly connecting the second gear and the over-running clutch, the synchronizer device is disposed on the shaft between the second gear and the over-running clutch, and each of the shaft and the synchronizer device includes complementary splines such that the synchronizer device slides along the shaft and compresses the spring when the second gear is being meshed with the first gear.
14. The vehicle of claim 12, wherein the starter additionally includes a solenoid configured to displace the over-running clutch toward the first gear and thereby urge the synchronizer device by the action of the spring toward the frictional surface.
15. The vehicle of claim 9, further comprising a motorgenerator capable of propelling the vehicle, wherein the engine is capable of being selectively shut off when the motorgenerator is running and re-started via the starter for powering the vehicle.
16. The vehicle of claim 9, wherein the starter is configured to be operated by a 12-volt electrical system.