BINDING DEVICE

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application claims priority from JP2012-169169, filed on Jul. 31, 2012, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to a binding device that performs binding by using a printed tape to bind stacked sheets.

A binding device is known that performs binding by using a printed tape to bind one edge of a stack of sheets that is a plurality of sheets that have been stacked. For example, a binding device is known that performs binding by using a tape that has been printed by a thermal transfer method.

SUMMARY

The binding device that is described above binds stacked sheets, so during a process in which a heater is used to heat an adhesive that has been applied to the tape, it sometimes happens that the printed image that has been printed on the tape by the thermal transfer method melts. In those cases, the quality of the printed image may be impaired.

Embodiments of the broad principles derived herein provide a binding device that can perform binding while maintaining good quality in the printed image that is printed on the tape.

The binding device according to the present disclosure includes a thermal head, a transport portion, a heater, a bonding portion, and a control portion. The thermal head heats an ink of an ink ribbon and transfers the ink to a tape. The transport portion transports the tape to which the ink has been transferred. The heater heats an adhesive that coats the tape that is transported by the transport portion. The bonding portion bonds the tape to an edge portion of a sheet stack that includes a plurality of sheets by bringing the adhesive with which the tape is coated, and which has been heated by the heater, into contact with the edge portion of the sheet stack. The control portion controls the heating temperatures of the thermal head and the heater such that the heating temperature that is applied to the ink by the thermal head is higher than the heating temperature that is applied to the adhesive by the heater.

Embodiments also provide a binding device binds sheet stack by affixing a thermoplastic adhesive that coats on one side of a tape to one edge of the sheet stack. The binding device includes a printing portion that prints an image on a tape, a bonding portion that bonds the tape to one edge of the sheet stack, a transport portion that transports the tape through the printing portion to the ponding portion, and a control portion. The printing portion includes a platen roller that guides the tape, a thermal head that heats an ink ribbon, and a ribbon transferring device that transfers the ink ribbon passing between the platen roller and the thermal head. The bonding portion includes a sheet holder that clamps the sheet stack, a pressing part that presses the sheet stack against the tape, and a heater that heats the tape. The control portion controls the heater such that the temperature of the thermoplastic adhesive on the tape is higher than a second temperature and is not exceed a first temperature. The first temperature is a melting temperature of an ink that coats on the ink ribbon, and the second temperature is a melting temperature of the thermoplastic adhesive on the tape and is lower than the first temperature.

Embodiments further provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing computer readable instructions for a binding device. The computer readable instructions cause the binding device to perform controlling heating temperatures of a thermal head and a heater such that the heating temperature that is applied by the thermal head to an ink of an ink ribbon to transfer the ink to a tape is higher than the heating temperature that is applied by the heater to an adhesive that coats the tape to which the ink has been transferred. The computer readable instructions also cause the binding device to perform bonding the tape to an edge portion of a sheet stack that includes a plurality of sheets by bringing the adhesive with which the tape is coated, and which has been heated by the heater, into contact with the edge portion of the sheet stack.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of a binding device;

FIG. 2 is a transparent view of the binding device as viewed obliquely;

FIG. 3 is a transparent view of the binding device as viewed from a downstream side in a feed direction;

FIG. 4 is a plan view that shows the binding device and an internal structure of a cassette as viewed obliquely from above and to the front;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the cassette;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram that shows an electrical configuration of the binding device;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart that shows a binding process;

FIG. 8A is a figure that shows a process in which a stack of sheets is clamped by sheet stoppers;

FIG. 8B is a figure that shows a process in which the stack of sheets is moved close to a tape;

FIG. 8C is a figure that shows a process in which second heaters are moved;

FIG. 9A is a figure that shows a process in which the tape is applied to front and rear faces of the stack of sheets;

FIG. 9B is a figure that shows a process in which the tape is applied to the stack of sheets; and

FIG. 9C is a figure that shows the bound stack of sheets.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the present disclosure will be explained with reference to the drawings. Note that the drawings are used for explaining technological features that the present disclosure can utilize, and they are not drawings that restrict the content of the present disclosure. An overview of a binding device 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 1. The binding device 1 is provided with a body portion 11, a printing portion 12, a holding portion 13, and a restraining portion 22. The shape of the body portion 11 is approximately a rectangular parallelepiped shape. The binding device 1 is used by being placed on a base such as a table or the like, with the body portion 11 oriented such that its longer axis is horizontal. The printing portion 12 is provided at one end of the body portion 11. The shape of the printing portion 12 is approximately a rectangular parallelepiped shape. In its interior, the printing portion 12 performs printing on a tape 102 (described later; refer to FIG. 2). The printed tape 102 is transported parallel to the longer axis of the body portion 11. In the body portion 11, the binding device 1 performs binding by affixing the tape 102 to one edge of a sheet stack 101, which is a plurality of sheets that have been bundled together, thus binding the sheet stack 101.

Hereinafter, a direction that is parallel to the longer axis of the body portion 11 will be called the transport direction. The end of the body portion 11 where the printing portion 12 is provided will be called the upstream side in the transport direction, and the opposite end from the printing portion 12 will be called the downstream side in the transport direction. A direction that is orthogonal to the transport direction and extends horizontally will be called the front-rear direction. A direction that is orthogonal to the transport direction and extends vertically will be called the up-down direction.

The front side and the rear side of the top face of the body portion 11 slope downward. The front side of the top face of the printing portion 12 slopes downward. The length of the printing portion 12 in the up-down direction is approximately half of the length of the body portion 11 in the up-down direction. The holding portion 13 extends obliquely upward toward the rear from a recessed portion 14 that is provided such that it is recessed toward the front from the rear side of the top face of the body portion 11. The shape of the holding portion 13 is plate-shaped. The sheet stack 101 is placed on the top face of the holding portion 13. The sheet stack 101 that has been placed on the holding portion 13 moves obliquely downward toward the front along the top face of the holding portion 13 and is guided into the interior of the body portion 11. The lower edge of the sheet stack 101 that has been placed on the top face of the holding portion 13 moves into the interior of the body portion 11. The restraining portion 22 extends vertically upward from the top face of the holding portion 13. The shape of the restraining portion 22 is plate-shaped. The restraining portion 22 restrains the position of the edge, on the downstream side in the transport direction, of the sheet stack 101 that has been placed on the top face of the holding portion 13. The restraining portion 22 is able to move the top face of the holding portion 13 parallel to the transport direction.

Hereinafter, a plane that extends along the top face of the holding portion 13 will be called a holding plane 131 (refer to FIG. 3 and the like). A direction that is parallel to the holding plane 131 and orthogonal to the transport direction, that is, a direction in which the sheet stack 101 that has been placed on the top face of the holding portion 13 moves along the holding plane 131, will be called a sheet feeding direction.

The internal structure of the binding device 1 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 5. As shown in FIG. 2, the binding device 1 is provided with a feed roller 41, a first heater 31, second heaters 32, 33, a contact portion 21, and sheet stoppers 15, 16 (refer to FIG. 3). The printing portion 12 is provided with a platen roller 54, a main drive roller 55, a thermal head 57, and a tape cutter 58. The printing portion 12 is also provided with a container portion (not shown in the drawings) that contains a cassette 50 (refer to FIG. 5) in which the tape 102 and an ink ribbon 103 (refer to FIG. 5) are wound. Note that the structure of the binding device 1 and the structure of the cassette 50 are both shown in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5.

The cassette 50 is a known tape cassette that is capable of performing printing by a thermal transfer method on the tape 102, which has been coated with a hot-melt adhesive in advance. The cassette 50 is contained in the container portion in a state in which a top wall and a bottom wall of the cassette 50 are parallel to the holding plane 131 and in which a tape discharge outlet 59 (refer to FIG. 5; described later) is in a state of facing the downstream side in the transport direction within the container portion.

The cassette 50 will be explained briefly with reference to FIG. 5. The cassette 50 is provided with spools 51, 52, 53, a driven roller 56, and the tape discharge outlet 59. The tape 102 is wound around the spool 51. The tape 102 is coated with the hot-melt adhesive on a face 102A that faces toward the outside in the state in which the tape 102 is wound around the spool 51. The adhesive is for affixing the tape 102 to the sheet stack 101. The adhesive is in a solid state at normal temperature. Therefore, the adhesive with which the face 102A is coated does not adhere to a face 102B that is the opposite face of the tape 102 from the face 102A and overlaps with the face 102A in the state in which the tape 102 is wound around the spool 51.

On the other hand, when the adhesive has been heated to approximately 150 degrees Celsius, the viscosity of the adhesive decreases, becoming the optimum viscosity for bonding the sheet stack 101 (refer to FIG. 1). Specifically, when the adhesive has been heated to approximately 150 degrees Celsius, the adhesive melts, and its viscosity (a melt viscosity not greater than 10,000 mPa·s (millipascal-seconds)) becomes such that the adhesive penetrates well between the individual sheets of the plurality of sheets that are in the stacked state. The adhesive can therefore bond the sheet stack 101 appropriately by being heated to approximately 150 degrees Celsius.

The unused ink ribbon 103 is wound around the spool 52. The ink ribbon 103 is coated with ink on a face 103A that faces toward the inside in the state in which the ink ribbon 103 is wound around the spool 52. The ink is a hot-melt pigment ink. When the ink has been heated to approximately 200 degrees Celsius, the ink is transferred to the tape 102. The used ink ribbon 103 is wound around the spool 53.

The driven roller 56 and the main drive roller 55 (described later) pinch between them the tape 102 that has been printed by the transfer of the ink, and they transport the tape 102 downstream toward the tape discharge outlet 59. The driven roller 56 is disposed close to and on the upstream side of the tape discharge outlet 59 in the transport direction, and it is disposed obliquely below and in front (in FIG. 5, on the lower side) of a specified plane (hereinafter called the transport plane) that is parallel to at least a portion of the transported tape 102.

Note that the cassette that is used in the binding device 1 can be modified. It is acceptable for the tape 102 not to be coated with the adhesive in advance. The face 102A of the tape 102 may be coated with the adhesive after the tape 102 has been fed out from the spool 51. The temperature at which the adhesive reaches the appropriate viscosity for affixing the tape 102 to the sheet stack 101 is not limited to being 150 degrees Celsius. For example, the temperature may also be any temperature from 150 to 180 degrees Celsius. The temperature at which the ink is transferred to the tape 102 is not limited to being 200 degrees Celsius. For example, the temperature may also be any temperature from 200 to 220 degrees Celsius. The ink ribbon 103 may also be coated with a dye sublimation ink.

The internal structure of the printing portion 12 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5. The main drive roller 55 is disposed on the upstream side of the tape discharge outlet 59 in the transport direction, and it is disposed obliquely above and to the rear (in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the upper side) of the transport plane of the tape 102. The main drive roller 55 and the driven roller 56 are disposed opposite one another, with the transport plane between them. The main drive roller 55 rotates by being driven by a drive motor 63 (refer to FIG. 6). The platen roller 54 and the thermal head 57 are disposed close to and on the upstream side of the main drive roller 55 in the transport direction. The platen roller 54 is disposed obliquely above and to the rear (in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the upper side) of the transport plane of the tape 102, and the thermal head 57 is disposed obliquely below and in front (in FIGS. 4 and 5, on the lower side) of the transport plane of the tape 102. The platen roller 54 and the thermal head 57 are disposed opposite one another, with the transport plane between them.

The tape 102 that has been fed out from the spool 51 and the ink ribbon 103 that has been fed out from the spool 52 are held in a superimposed state between the platen roller 54 and the thermal head 57. The platen roller 54 is in contact with the face 102A of the tape 102.

The thermal head 57 is in contact with a face 103B that is the opposite face of the ink ribbon 103 from the face 103A. The face 102B of the tape 102 and the face 103A of the ink ribbon 103 are in contact with each other. The platen roller 54 presses the tape 102 against the ink ribbon 103. The ink of the ink ribbon 103 is heated to approximately 200 degrees Celsius by the heating of the thermal head 57 to approximately 200 degrees Celsius. The ink is transferred to the tape 102. In this manner, the printing on the tape 102 is performed by the thermal transfer method. After the ink has been transferred to the tape 102, the ink ribbon 103 is separated from the printed tape 102 and is wound around the spool 53.

The printed tape 102 that has been separated from the ink ribbon 103 is held between the main drive roller 55 and the driven roller 56. The printed tape 102 is transported in the downstream direction by the rotating of the main drive roller 55 and is discharged to the outside of the cassette 50 from the tape discharge outlet 59.

The tape cutter 58 is disposed on the downstream side of the tape discharge outlet 59 of the cassette 50 in the transport direction. As shown in FIG. 2, the tape cutter 58 is provided with two blades 581, 582 that are axially supported. The printed tape 102 that has been discharged from the tape discharge outlet 59 passes between the blade 581 and the blade 582. A drive motor 65 (refer to FIG. 6) pivots the blade 581 around a support shaft. This process causes the blades 581, 582 to close on and cut the printed tape 102 that has been discharged from the tape discharge outlet 59. The printed tape 102 is thus cut away from the cassette 50 by the tape cutter 58.

Note that the configuration of the tape cutter 58 can be modified. For example, the blade 581 may be pivoted manually by a user. That configuration makes it possible for the user of the binding device 1 to cut the printed tape 102 manually.

The internal structure of the body portion 11 will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4. As shown in FIG. 2, the feed roller 41 is disposed on the downstream side of the tape cutter 58 in the transport direction. The shape of the feed roller 41 is cylindrical. The material of the feed roller 41 is a rubber that has elasticity. A rotating shaft 413 of the feed roller 41 extends orthogonally to the holding plane 131 (refer to FIG. 3). The feed roller 41 rotates about the rotating shaft 413. One end of a support arm 45 supports the feed roller 41 such that the feed roller 41 can rotate. The shape of the support arm 45 is rod-shaped. The support arm 45 is able to swing about the other end of the support arm 45. The support arm 45 is disposed on the downstream side of the tape cutter 58 in the transport direction and is disposed obliquely above and to the rear (in FIG. 4, on the upper side) of the transport plane of the tape 102. The other end of the support arm 45 is disposed on the upstream side of the contact portion 21, which will be described later, in the transport direction. The end of the support arm 45 that supports the feed roller 41 is closer to the transport plane than the other end of the support arm 45. The position of the feed roller 41 is switched between a first position 411 (refer to FIG. 4) and a second position 412 (refer to FIG. 4) by the swinging of the support arm 45. In a state in which the feed roller 41 is in the first position 411, the end of the support arm 45 that supports the feed roller 41 is disposed farther downstream in the transport direction than the other end. In a state in which the feed roller 41 is in the second position 412, the end of the support arm 45 that supports the feed roller 41 is disposed farther upstream in the transport direction than the other end. The feed roller 41 is rotated by being driven by a drive motor 61 (refer to FIG. 6). The support arm 45 is swung by a drive motor 66 (refer to FIG. 6).

FIG 2 shows a state in which the feed roller 41 is in the first position 411. In the state in which the feed roller 41 is in the first position 411, the lower side of the outer circumferential face of the feed roller 41 is in contact with the transport plane of the tape 102. In a case where the tape 102 that has been discharged from the tape discharge outlet 59 of the cassette 50 (refer to FIG. 5) is positioned in the transport plane, the outer circumferential face of the feed roller 41 is in contact with the face 102A of the tape 102 (refer to FIG. 5). In this state, the rotating of the feed roller 41 transports the printed tape 102 in the downstream direction in an orientation in which the width direction of the tape 102 is orthogonal to the holding plane 131 (refer to FIG. 3). In contrast, in a state in which the feed roller 41 is in the second position 412, as shown in FIG. 4, the outer circumferential face of the feed roller 41 is separated from the transport plane.

As shown in FIG. 2, the first heater 31 extends horizontally downstream in the transport direction from a point that is on the downstream side of the tape cutter 58 in the transport direction and obliquely below and in front of the feed roller 41 when the feed roller 41 is in the first position 411. The shape of the first heater 31 is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape whose longer axis is parallel to the transport direction. The upstream end of the first heater 31 in the transport direction is positioned opposite the feed roller 41, with the transport plane of the tape 102 positioned between the first heater 31 and the feed roller 41. As shown in FIG. 3, a face on the obliquely upper and rear side of the first heater 31, that is, a face (hereinafter called the extended face 311) that is opposite the feed roller 41, is orthogonal to the holding plane 131. The width of the extended face 311 is less than the width of the tape 102.

In a state in which the printed tape 102 is held between the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411 and the extended face 311 of the first heater 31, the rotating of the feed roller 41 can transport the printed tape 102 appropriately, without the feed roller 41 being rotated to no purpose. The printed tape 102 is transported along the extended face 311. As shown in FIG. 4, the part of the thermal head 57 with which the printing is performed on the tape 102 (a heated part of the thermal head 57) is disposed in the same plane as a plane 312 that extends along the extended face 311 in the transport direction. Similarly, when the feed roller 41 is disposed in the first position 411, the lower side of the outer circumferential face of the feed roller 41 is in contact with the plane 312. Therefore, the printed tape 102 is transported downstream along a straight line that connects the thermal head 57 and the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second heaters 32, 33 are respectively disposed obliquely above and in front of and obliquely below and behind the first heater 31. The shapes of the second heaters 32, 33 are approximately the same as that of the first heater 31. The second heaters 32, 33 are disposed opposite one another, with the holding plane 131 (refer to FIG. 3) between them.

A support portion 321 is provided obliquely above and in front of the second heater 32. A support portion 331 is provided obliquely below and to the rear of the second heater 33. The support portion 321 supports the second heater 32. The support portion 331 supports the second heater 33. When driven by a drive motor 64 (refer to FIG. 6), the support portions 321, 331 are also able to move the second heaters 32, 33 in both the sheet feeding direction and in a direction that is orthogonal to the sheet feeding direction (as will be explained in detail later). Hereinafter, the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33 will be collectively called the heaters 30.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the contact portion 21 is disposed obliquely above and to the rear (in FIG. 4, on the upper side) of the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411 (the feed roller 41 in the state in which it can transport the tape 102) (refer to FIG. 4). As also shown in FIG. 4, the contact portion 21 is disposed on the downstream side, in the transport direction, of the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the second position 412. The shape of the contact portion 21 is plate-shaped. The two faces of the contact portion 21 respectively face the upstream side and the downstream side in the transport direction. The contact portion 21 extends orthogonally upward from the holding plane 131 (refer to FIG. 3). The position of the contact portion 21 in the transport direction is the same as the position of the rotating shaft 413 of the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411. The contact portion 21 is in contact with the upstream side, in the transport direction, of the sheet stack 101 that has been placed in the holding portion 13, and it restrains the position of the plurality of sheets.

Note that the positional relationship between the contact portion 21 and the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411 can be modified. For example, the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411 may be provided on the downstream side of the contact portion 21 in the transport direction.

As shown in FIG. 3, the sheet stoppers 15, 16 are disposed opposite one another, with the holding plane 131 between them. The sheet stopper 15 is disposed above the holding plane 131. The sheet stopper 16 is disposed below the holding plane 131. As shown in FIG. 2, the sheet stopper 15 is provided with a rectangular plate portion whose longer axis is parallel to the transport direction and with extender portions that extend orthogonally to the plate portion from the upstream end and the downstream end of the plate portion. The sheet stopper 16 is also provided with a plate portion and extender portions in the same manner, although this is not shown in the drawings. As shown in FIG. 3, the plate portion of the sheet stopper 16 is disposed on the same plane as the holding plane 131. In contrast, the plate portion of the sheet stopper 15 is set apart from the holding plane 131.

The sheet stoppers 15, 16 are driven by a drive motor 62 (refer to FIG. 6). The sheet stopper 15 can moved orthogonally in relation to the holding plane 131. In a case where the sheet stopper 15 has moved close to the holding plane 131, the plate portions of the sheet stoppers 15, 16 clamp the sheet stack 101 that has been placed in the holding portion 13. The sheet stoppers 15, 16 can also move in the sheet feeding direction. The sheet stoppers 15, 16 are thus able to move the clamped sheet stack 101 closer to the first heater 31.

An electrical configuration of the binding device 1 will be explained with reference to FIG. 6. The binding device 1 is provided with a CPU 111 that performs control of the entire binding device 1. The CPU 111 is electrically connected to a ROM 112, a RAM 113, the first heater 31, the second heaters 32, 33, the thermal head 57, and the drive motors 61 to 66. The ROM 112 stores a control program and initial parameters for the CPU 111. The RAM 113 stores data temporarily while the CPU 111 is performing processing. The drive motors 61 to 66 respectively drive the feed roller 41, the sheet stoppers 15, 16, the main drive roller 55, the support portions 321, 331, the tape cutter 58, and the support arm 45.

An overview of the process by which the binding device 1 binds the sheet stack 101 will be explained with reference to FIG. 7. First, the CPU 111 rotates the main drive roller 55 by operating the drive motor 63, thereby feeding the tape 102 out from the spool 51. The CPU 111 performs the printing on the tape 102 by heating the thermal head 57 to transfer the ink from the ink ribbon 103 to the tape 102 (Step S11). Next, the CPU 111 rotates the feed roller 41 by operating the drive motor 61, thereby transporting the printed tape 102 downstream (Step S13). The transporting of the printed tape 102 is continued until the position of the upstream end of the tape 102 in the transport direction reaches the position of the contact portion 21 in the transport direction. The printed tape 102 is in a state of being disposed on the extended face 311 of the first heater 31.

Next, the CPU 111 operates the drive motor 62. The sheet stack 101, which has been placed in the holding portion 13 and is in a state in which the position of its upstream edge is restrained by the contact portion 21, is thus clamped by the sheet stoppers 15, 16. The CPU 111 also brings the lower edge of the sheet stack 101 into contact with the transported tape 102 by moving the sheet stoppers 15, 16 toward the first heater 31 (Step S15). Next, the CPU 111 moves the support portions 321, 331 and the second heaters 32, 33 by operating the drive motor 64 (Step S17), thereby bringing the tape 102 into contact with the front and rear faces of the sheet stack 101. Finally, the CPU 111 operates the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33 to heat and melt the adhesive with which the tape 102 is coated, and bonds the tape 102 to the sheet stack 101 (Step S19). This will be described in detail below.

The process by which the binding device 1 binds the sheet stack 101 will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 3, 4, and 8A to 9C. The CPU 111 of the binding device 1, in its initial state prior to starting the binding process, operates the drive motor 66 to swing the support arm 45 such that the feed roller 41 is disposed in the second position 412, as shown in FIG. 4.

First, the user places the sheet stack 101, in which the plurality of sheets are bundled, in the holding portion 13. The user adjusts the positions of the upstream edges of the individual sheets in the transport direction such that they are in contact with the contact portion 21. The contact portion 21 restrains the positions of the plurality of sheets on the upstream side in the transport direction, so the positions of the plurality of sheets on the upstream side in the transport direction are all aligned. Even in a case where, for example, sheet stacks 101 (for example, sheet stacks 101A, 101B) with different lengths in the transport direction are placed in the holding portion 13, their positions on the upstream side in the transport direction are restrained by the contact portion 21, so the positions of the sheet stacks 101 on the upstream side in the transport direction are always fixed.

Next, the user moves the restraining portion 22 along the holding portion 13 toward the upstream side in the transport direction, causing the restraining portion 22 to come into contact with the downstream side of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction. The processing that has been described above causes the position of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction to be aligned more accurately. Note that the method for moving the restraining portion 22 can be modified. For example, the restraining portion 22 may also be driven by a drive motor that is not shown in the drawings. By operating that drive motor, the CPU 111 may move the restraining portion 22 toward the upstream side in the transport direction until the restraining portion 22 is in a state of contact with the downstream edge of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction.

After the sheet stack 101 has been placed in the holding portion 13, the user, using an operation portion of the binding device 1 (not shown in the drawings), performs an operation for moving the sheet stopper 15. In a case where the CPU 111 has detected the operation on the operation portion, the CPU 111 moves the sheet stopper 15 toward the holding plane 131 by operating the drive motor 62, as shown in FIG. 8A (by the arrow 40). The plate portions of the sheet stoppers 15, 16 clamp the sheet stack 101 (refer to FIG. 8B). Therefore, movement of the sheet stack 101 downward in the sheet feeding direction along the holding plane 131 is inhibited. The sheet stack 101 is therefore held in the holding portion 13 in a state in which the lower edge of the sheet stack 101 and the extended face 311 of the first heater 31 are not in contact with one another.

Note that the method for moving the sheet stopper 15 can be modified. For example, the binding device 1 may also be provided with a detection sensor that detects the sheet stack 101 that has been placed in the holding portion 13. In a case where the detection sensor has detected the sheet stack 101, the CPU 111 may move the sheet stopper 15 toward the holding plane 131 by operating the drive motor 62. The user may also move the sheet stopper 15 manually.

Next, the printing on the tape 102 is started. In the state in which the tape 102 is clamped between the main drive roller 55 and the driven roller 56, as shown in FIG. 5, the CPU 111 rotates the main drive roller 55 by operating the drive motor 63, thereby feeding the tape 102 out from the spool 51. The tape 102 and the ink ribbon 103, which has been fed out from the spool 52, are superimposed on one another in a state in which the face 103A of the ink ribbon 103 and the face 102B of the tape 102 are in contact, and the superimposed tape 102 and ink ribbon 103 are guided between the platen roller 54 and the thermal head 57. The platen roller 54 presses the tape 102 against the ink ribbon 103. The CPU 111 heats the thermal head 57 to approximately 200 degrees Celsius. The ink on the ink ribbon 103 is heated to approximately 200 degrees Celsius by the thermal head 57, and the ink is transferred to the tape 102. Text characters and the like are printed on the face 102B of the tape 102 by this process. Note that only a portion of the thermal head 57 is heated, and the heating time is extremely short, so the adhesive with which the face 102A of the tape 102 is coated does not melt when the thermal head 57 is heated.

The CPU 111 continues to rotate the main drive roller 55 by operating the drive motor 63. The printed tape 102 is transported by the main drive roller 55 and the driven roller 56 and is discharged to the outside from the tape discharge outlet 59 of the cassette 50.

As shown in FIG. 4, the printed tape 102 that has been discharged from the tape discharge outlet 59 moves downstream in the transport direction, passing between the blades 581, 582 of the tape cutter 58 (refer to FIG. 2). Note that the outer circumferential face of the feed roller 41, which is disposed in the second position 412, is not in contact with the transport plane of the tape 102, so the printed tape 102 is discharged smoothly from the cassette 50 (refer to FIG. 5), without getting caught on the feed roller 41.

In a case where a specified length of time has elapsed since the rotating of the main drive roller 55 was started, the CPU 111 determines that the downstream end of the printed tape 102 in the transport direction has reached the extended face 311 of the first heater 31. The CPU 111 swings the support arm 45 by operating the drive motor 66, thereby moving the feed roller 41 from the second position 412 to the first position 411. In the state in which it is in the first position 411, the feed roller 41 presses the printed tape 102 against the first heater 31. Note that in the process by which the feed roller 41 moves from the second position 412 to the first position 411, when the support arm 45 becomes orthogonal to the transport plane, the feed roller 41, which is made of a rubber that has elasticity, depressed slightly inward in relation to the first heater 31. Therefore, the feed roller 41 can move smoothly from the second position 412 to the first position 411. Note that the method for specifying the time at which the position of the feed roller 41 is changed from the second position 412 to the first position 411 can be modified. For example, the binding device 1 may also be provided with a detection sensor close to the upstream end of the first heater 31 in the transport direction. The CPU 111 may then move the feed roller 41 from the second position 412 to the first position 411 in a case where the detection sensor has detected a downstream end of the printed tape 102 in the transport direction.

At the same time that it disposes the feed roller 41 in the first position 411, the CPU 111 starts rotating the feed roller 41 by operating the drive motor 61. The printed tape 102 is transported downstream along the extended face 311 of the first heater 31 in a state in which the face 102B (refer to FIG. 5) is in contact with the extended face 311. The extended face 311 extends along the straight line that connects the thermal head 57 and the feed roller 41, so the printed tape 102 is transported in a straight state, without being flexed. Note that, as shown in FIG. 8B, the sheet stoppers 15, 16 are clamping the sheet stack 101, and the lower edge of the sheet stack 101 is not in contact with the first heater 31. Therefore, the printed tape 102 is transported smoothly downstream along the extended face 311, without getting caught on the sheet stack 101.

In a case where a specified length of time has elapsed since the rotating of the main drive roller 55 was started, the CPU 111 determines that the length of the portion of the printed tape 102 that is disposed on the downstream side of the tape cutter 58 in the transport direction is the same as the length in the transport direction of the sheet stack 101 that has been placed in the holding portion 13. Note that the CPU 111 may determine the specified length of time based on a length of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction that has been set in advance. The CPU 111 may also specify the length of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction based on the position of the restraining portion 22 (refer to FIG. 1) in the transport direction, then determine the specified length of time based on the specified length.

In a case where the specified length of time has elapsed since the rotating of the main drive roller 55 was started, the CPU 111 operates the blades 581, 582 of the tape cutter 58 (refer to FIG. 2) by operating the drive motor 65. The tape 102 is cut by the tape cutter 58, and the printed tape 102 is cut away from the cassette 50. The length of the printed tape 102 in the transport direction when the tape 102 has been cut away is approximately the same as the length of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction.

Note that the method for driving the tape cutter 58 can be modified. In a case where the tape cutter 58 is operated manually, for example, the CPU 111 may stop the transporting of the printed tape 102 by stopping the rotating of the main drive roller 55 in a case where a specified length of time has elapsed since the rotating of the main drive roller 55 was started. That sort of processing makes it possible for the user to determine when the appropriate time is for cutting the tape 102 by manually operating the tape cutter 58. Even after the printed tape 102 has been cut away from the cassette 50, the CPU 111 continues to rotate the feed roller 41, transporting the printed tape 102 downstream. Then at the point when the position of the upstream end of the printed tape 102 in the transport direction (the end that was cut by the tape cutter 58) reaches the position in the transport direction where the contact portion 21 and the rotating shaft 413 of the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411 are located, the CPU 111 stops the rotating of the feed roller 41. By that sort of processing, the upstream end of the printed tape 102 in the transport direction is transported to the position of the feed roller 41 and the contact portion 21. The printed tape 102 is disposed on the extended face 311 of the first heater 31 in a state in which the position of the upstream end of the tape 102 in the transport direction is the same as the position of the contact portion 21 and the rotating shaft 413 of the feed roller 41 in the transport direction. The face 102A of the printed tape 102 (the face that is coated with the adhesive) is disposed on the opposite side of the tape 102 from the side that is in contact with the extended face 311. Because the position of the upstream edge of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction is restrained by the contact portion 21, a state exists in which the position of the upstream end of the printed tape 102 in the transport direction is aligned with the position of the upstream edge of the sheet stack 101. Moreover, because the lengths of the printed tape 102 and the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction are approximately the same, a state exists in which the position of the downstream end of the printed tape 102 in the transport direction is aligned with the position of the downstream edge of the sheet stack 101.

Note that the width of the extended face 311 is less than the width of the tape 102, so both edges of the tape 102 are in a state in which they protrude to the outside of the corresponding edges of the extended face 311, as shown in FIG. 8B.

Next, the CPU 111 operates the drive motor 66 to swing the support arm 45, thereby moving the feed roller 41 from the first position 411 (refer to FIG. 3) to the second position 412 (refer to FIG. 3). The feed roller 41 enters a state in which it is disposed on the upstream side of the contact portion 21 in the transport direction. The CPU 111 operates the drive motor 62 to move the sheet stoppers 15, 16 downward in the sheet feeding direction, as shown in FIG. 8B (by the arrow 42). Because the extended face 311 is orthogonal to the holding plane 131, in a case where the sheet stack 101 has moved downward along the holding plane 131 in the sheet feeding direction, the sheet stack 101 makes contact orthogonally with the face 102A of the printed tape 102 (refer to FIG. 5), which is disposed on the extended face 311 (refer to FIG. 8C). Note that because the feed roller 41 is disposed on the upstream side of the contact portion 21 in the transport direction, the feed roller 41 does not interfere with the movement of the sheet stack 101.

Note that in this state, the CPU 111 does not operate the heaters 30 to heat, so the adhesive is at normal temperature, and its viscosity is high. Therefore, the tape 102 is not affixed to the sheet stack 101 by the adhesive.

Next, by operating the drive motor 64 to move the support portions 321, 331, the CPU 111 moves the second heaters 32, 33 upward in the sheet feeding direction, as shown in FIG. 8C (by the arrows 43). The parts of the printed tape 102 that protrude beyond the edges of the extended face 311 of the first heater 31 are folded upward by the movements of the second heaters 32, 33 (refer to FIG. 9A).

Next, by operating the drive motor 64 to move the support portions 321, 331, the CPU 111 moves the second heaters 32, 33 toward their respective sides of the holding plane 131, as shown in FIG. 9A (by the arrows 44). This causes the parts of the printed tape 102 that have been folded upward to come into contact with the face (the rear face) of the sheet stack 101 that is in contact with the holding portion 13 and the face (the front face) that is on the opposite side from the rear face (refer to FIG. 9B).

Next, in the state that is shown in FIG. 9B, the CPU 111 heats the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33. More specifically, the CPU 111 operates the first heater 31 to heat to approximately 150 degrees Celsius, thereby heating the adhesive that coats the face 102A, which is on the opposite side of the tape 102 from the part of the tape 102 that is in contact with the first heater 31. The adhesive on the part of the tape 102 that is in contact with the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101 is thereby heated to approximately 150 degrees and melted. The CPU 111 also operates the second heaters 32, 33 to heat to approximately 130 degrees Celsius, thereby heating the adhesive that coats the face 102A, which is on the opposite side of the tape 102 from the parts of the tape 102 that are in contact with the second heaters 32, 33. The adhesive on the parts of the tape 102 that are in contact with the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101 is thereby heated to approximately 130 degrees and melted.

The temperatures to which the adhesive is heated by the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33 (approximately 150 degrees Celsius and approximately 130 degrees Celsius, respectively) are lower than the temperature that is necessary in order to transfer the ink from the ink ribbon 103, that is the temperature (approximately 200 degrees Celsius) to which the ink is heated by the thermal head 57. Therefore, the ink that has been transferred to the tape 102 is not melted by the heat from the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33. Therefore, in a case where the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33 are heated, the printed image that has been formed on the tape 102 is maintained in a good state.

The adhesive that has come into contact with the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101 bonds the plurality of sheets and affixes the tape 102 to the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101. For its part, the adhesive that has come into contact with the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101 affixes the tape 102 to the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101. Note that the temperature of the adhesive that has been heated by the first heater 31 is higher than the temperature of the adhesive that has been heated by the second heaters 32, 33. Therefore, the viscosity of the adhesive that is in contact with the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101 is lower than the viscosity of the adhesive that is in contact with the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101. Therefore, the adhesive that is in contact with the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101 penetrates well between the individual sheets of the plurality of sheets, so the sheet stack 101 can be bonded appropriately. In contrast, the viscosity of the adhesive that is in contact with the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101 is relatively high. Therefore, the adhesive tends not to protrude beyond the edges of the tape 102, even if the tape 102 is pressed against the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101.

After the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33 have been heated for a specified length of time, the CPU 111 stops the heating. For a specified length of time, the CPU 111 maintains the state in which the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33 press the tape 102 against the sheet stack 101. The adhesive is thus cooled. After the specified length of time has elapsed, the CPU 111 operates the support portions 321, 331 to move the second heaters 32, 33, separating them from the sheet stack 101. Next, the CPU 111 operates the drive motor 62 to move the sheet stoppers 15, 16 upward, moving the sheet stack 101 away from the first heater 31. One edge of the sheet stack 101 is thus bound by the printed tape 102, as shown in FIG. 9C, and the binding process is terminated.

As explained above, the CPU 111 of the binding device 1 performs control that heats the thermal head 57 and the heaters 30 such that the heating temperature when the ink of the ink ribbon 103 is heated by the thermal head 57 is higher than the heating temperature when the adhesive is heated by the heaters 30 (the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33). It is therefore possible, when the adhesive is heated by the heaters 30, to prevent the melting of the ink that has been transferred to the tape 102. The binding device 1 is therefore able to maintain well the quality of the printed image that has been formed on the tape 102 by the transfer of the ink.

Furthermore, the binding device 1 is provided with the first heater 31, which heats the part of the tape 102 that comes into contact with the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101, and the second heaters 32, 33, which heat the parts of the tape 102 that come into contact with the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101. The CPU 111 heats the first heater 31 and the second heaters 32, 33 such that the heating temperature of the first heater 31 is higher than the heating temperature of the second heaters 32, 33. In the case that is described above, the viscosity of the adhesive that is in contact with the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101 is lower than the viscosity of the adhesive that is in contact with the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101. The lower viscosity of the adhesive that is in contact with the lower edge face of the sheet stack 101 makes it easier for the adhesive to penetrate between the individual sheets of the plurality of sheets, so the sheet stack 101 can be bonded appropriately. Moreover, the higher viscosity of the adhesive that is in contact with the front face and the rear face of the sheet stack 101 makes it possible to prevent the adhesive from protruding beyond the edges of the tape 102.

The binding device 1 is also provided with the tape cutter 58, so the printed tape 102 can be cut appropriately to the same length as the length of the sheet stack 101 in the transport direction.

Note that the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiment that is described above, and various types of modifications can be made. In the present embodiment, the printing on the tape 102 is performed by the thermal transfer method. The printing method in the present disclosure can be modified. For example, the binding device 1 may also perform the printing on the tape 102 by another printing method (an inkjet method, an electrophotographic method, or the like).

The method for transporting the printed tape 102 can be modified. For example, instead of the feed roller 41, the binding device 1 may be provided with a belt that moves the printed tape 102 downstream in the transport direction in a state in which the tape 102 is held between the belt and the first heater 31. The printed tape 102 may also be transported by the belt.

In the embodiment that is described above, the sheet stoppers 15, 16 clamp the sheet stack 101, and they bring the sheet stack 101 into contact with the printed tape 102 by moving toward the first heater 31. In contrast to the configuration that is described above, the printed tape 102 and the sheet stack 101 may also be brought into contact by moving the first heater 31, with the printed tape 102 disposed on it, toward the sheet stack 101.

The position of the feed roller 41 that is disposed in the first position 411 can be modified. For example, the feed roller 41 may also be provided such that, when it is disposed in the first position 411, it is on the downstream side of the contact portion 21 in the transport direction.

BINDING DEVICE

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CPC

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Priority Claims (1)