The invention relates to the field of bookbinding in general and to the devices and methods for binding and casing in a bundle of sheets in particular.
A bundle of sheets may be bound by stapling in several places along the rear edge of a bundle of sheets. It is common to use a conventional stapler on the job, in particular a conventional office stapler for desktop use or a pliers stapler.
The trouble is, that a binding created by a conventional stapling device does not open evenly. When opened, the pages of the bundle of sheets tend to form waves. For these reasons, a book manufactured from such a bound bundle of sheets is often considered to be of low quality.
It is the object of the invention to enable manufacturing of a book to be compiled, which has a higher quality, by using a bound bundle of sheets.
This object can be realized by using the binding platform that can be used in bookbinding according to claim 1 as well as the device arrangement according to claim 16. The object may also be solved by using the method according to claim 13 for binding a bundle of sheets.
The dependent claims describe advantageous embodiments of the binding platform and the method.
The binding platform that can be used in bookbinding comprises a supporting surface suitable for supporting a bundle of sheets and finger-like members extending from the edge of the supporting surface essentially perpendicularly to the supporting surface, against which the rear edge of the bundle of sheets to be placed on the supporting surface can be aligned, and which are configured in such a way that a stapling gap remains between each of the finger-like members.
In addition to that the binding platform comprises at least one limiter located under the finger-like members and the supporting surface, the limiter being indented with respect to the inner edge of the stapling gaps.
Where a bound bundle of sheets is concerned, the inventors observed that according to the state of the art the creation of wavy pages can be attributed to the staples not being in the same distance from the binding edge of the bundle of sheets to be bound. In addition to that, part of the staples may also be askew. For these reasons, the fold easily forms waves when the book is opened.
By use in accordance with the stapling platform described above, market-standard pliers staplers may usually be used for binding a book thanks to the stapling gap. The pliers stapler is placed in the stapling gap, which guides the pliers stapler into the correct position. Thanks to the limiter, correct alignment of the pliers stapler is made easier: If the pliers stapler is pushed up to the limiter, the staple penetrating the bundle of sheets does not hit the stapling row too close to the binding edge. As the pliers stapler cannot be pushed beyond the limiter, the staple does also not hit the rear side of the stapling line, i.e. further away from the binding edge.
If the width of the limiter is equal to or wider than the distance between the outermost stapling gaps, this enables that precise alignment of the staples is possible at all stapling points.
If there is at least one supporting member located under or extending under stapling gap arranged on the binding platform in combination with the at least one limiter, use of the pliers stapler can be made easier by means of the binding platform and, thus, a precise way of working can be supported, as the hands of the user do not tire so quickly, because the pliers stapler rests on the supporting member.
If the supporting member comprises a continuous plane surface, whose width is equal to or wider than the distance between the outermost stapling gaps, early tiring of the user's hands during the whole period of processing the binding edge can be reduced.
If the binding platform can be supported by the edge of a worktable, a binding of good quality can be realized by using conventional business or office furniture. This is simplified particularly, if the binding platform is configured such that the inner side of the limiter and the point of attachment of the supporting surface form a corner, which can be supported by the edge of the worktable. In this way the user cannot shove the pliers stapler deeper into the supporting surface accidentally, as the edge of the worktable prevents this. This reduces the risk of the user fixing staples in a wrong distance to the binding edge due to the movement of the supporting surface.
If the binding platform additionally comprises a lateral edge level, which is located on the supporting surface, indented with respect to the inner edge of the stapling gaps, fixing the staples in the same place with each bundle of sheets can be ensured.
If the finger-like members are formed from a deflected plate, their realization is fairly simple, where manufacturing technique is concerned. It is particularly advantageous in this case, if the supporting surface consists of a plate that is set against the finger-like members in such a way that a raising plate is mounted between the said plate and the deflected plate in order to compensate the curvature resulting from deflection, thus causing the finger-like members to form an essentially right angle with the binding platform. This is a simple method to ensure a right angle of the finger-like members, regardless of the rounding resulting from deflection.
If the binding platform also comprises a member opposite the finger-like members for positioning a book cover between the finger-like members and the opposite member, the finger-like members may not only be used for guiding pliers staplers, but also for another purpose, namely for positioning a book cover.
If such a binding platform also comprises a lateral guiding device under which the book cover can be pushed in a lateral direction and against which the bound bundle of sheets can be aligned with respect to the book cover, indention of the bundle of sheets with respect to the book cover by using the binding platform can be ensured by fairly simple means.
If under the guiding device there is a stopper mounted, whose distance from the guiding device can be adjusted, the user may decide by using the binding platform, how much indention is desired. Thereby the binding platform becomes more suitable for covers of different types and, thus, it can be used for multiple purposes.
In the method for binding a bundle of sheets, the bundle of sheets is bound on its one edge by using the binding platform that can be used in bookbinding according to one of the preceding claims and a pliers stapler.
The method enables binding a bundle of sheets in such a way that a book of high quality may be manufactured from the bound bundle of sheets by using simple means—a conventional pliers stapler and the binding platform according to the present invention.
According to a first advantageous embodiment of the method, a self-adhesive sheet is used as a top and/or bottom sheet in the bundle of sheets to be bound, which self-adhesive sheet most advantageously having at least one attenuation member at its rear edge.
A second advantageous embodiment of the method can be used then, if the binding platform comprises a lateral guiding device, under which the book cover may be pushed in in lateral direction and with which the bound bundle of sheets can be aligned with respect to the book cover. The binding platform may have a stopper below the guiding device, the stopper's distance preferably being adjustable.
In this case, the hard book cover is positioned between the finger-like members and the opposite member and is pushed under the lateral guiding device. Thereafter the bound bundle of sheets is pushed against the lateral guiding device. Thereafter the protective paper is removed from the self-adhesive cover or covers and the bound bundle of sheets is fixed to the book cover.
The binding platform and the method for binding a bundle of sheets will be further explained below by means of the examples described in the enclosed drawings
The same reference numbers refer to the same technical features in all drawings.
The finger-like members 11 are configured such that a stapling gap 16 remains between them. In addition to that, the binding platform 10 comprises at least one limiter 12 located under the finger-like members 11 and the supporting surface 14, the limiter 12 being indented with respect to the inner edge of the stapling gaps 16 and preferably extending the entire length of the edge of supporting surface 14 along which the finger-like members extend. In the most advantageous way, the width of the limiter 12 is equal to or wider than the distance between the outermost stapling gaps 16.
Should the number of finger-like members 11 be two, the number of stapling gaps 16 is one. If there are more finger-like members 11, there are more stapling gaps, respectively.
In combination with the at least one limiter 12, at least one supporting member 13 positioned under or extending under the stapling gap 16 is arranged, which in the most preferred way will be realized as a shelf-like supporting plane. The supporting member 13 then comprises a continuous plane surface, whose width is equal to or wider than the distance between the outermost stapling gaps 16. In the most preferred way, the plane surface is realized as plate or as batten.
The binding platform 10 can be supported by the edge of a worktable. In the most preferred way this can be realized, if the binding platform 10 is configured such, that the inner side 17 of limiter 12 and the point of attachment of supporting surface 14 form a corner, which can be supported by the edge of the working table.
Preferably, the binding platform 10 also comprises a lateral edge level 15, which is located on the supporting surface 14, indented with respect to the inner edge of the stapling gaps 16.
According to cross-section II-II shown in
If there are more than two of the finger-like members 11, the width B of stapling gap 16 is in the most preferable way chosen thus, that it is only just possible to push the pliers stapler 100 into the stapling gap 16 such, that the mouth 110 of the pliers stapler 100 is placed on the edge of the bundle of sheets to be bound at stapling gap 16.
If there are two of the finger-like members 11, side alignment of the staples is realized visually.
If the bundle of sheets 40 is bound as a vertical book, the rear edge 41 is typically the longer edge of the bundle of sheets 40, that is, longer than the adjacent edges 42, 44.
If the bundle of sheets 40 is bound as a horizontal book, the rear edge 41 is the shorter edge of the bundle of sheets 40, that is, shorter than the adjacent edges 42, 44.
If the bundle of sheets 40 is bound as a square book, the dimensions of the rear edge 41 are equal to those of the edges 42, 44, which are adjacent to rear edge 41. The bundle of sheets 40 according to
A bundle of sheets 49 is inserted according to
The sheets of the bundle of sheets 49 are placed on each other front to front in the way shown in
The rear edge of the bundle of sheets is aligned with the finger-like members 11 in the way shown in
Following that, the bundle of sheets is bound at one edge (the rear edge) in the way shown in
If the lower clamping jaw 103 of the pliers stapler 100 rests on supporting member 13, alignment of the staple 46 will be very precise, because the pliers stapler 100 will be unable to incline in the vertical direction. The inventors observed that use of the supporting member 13 improves the result considerably, because in this way the staples 46 can be aligned much better than without use of the supporting member 13.
Although an inner cover sheet 151 having a self-adhesive surface and a protective paper 153 is also used as top and/or as bottom sheet in the bundle of sheets to be bound according to a preferred embodiment, the inner cover sheet additionally comprising at least one attenuation element 152 at the rear edge according to a preferred embodiment, this is not absolutely necessary. Bundles of sheets as shown in
In the way resulting from
The binding platform 10 additionally comprises a lateral guiding device 1311 (
The bound bundle of sheets 180, which has to be placed on the part of the book cover 190 resting on supporting surface 14, is aligned with the lateral guiding device 1311. Then, the edge of the bound bundle of sheets 180 is indented by distance d with respect to the edge of the book cover 190. Distance d may be varied, if a stopper is arranged below the guiding device 1311, whose distance from guiding device 1311 can be adjusted.
If alignment with respect to the bound bundle of sheets 180 and the book cover 190 is correct, protective paper 153 of the self-adhesive surface of inner cover sheet 151 is removed. Thereafter, the self-adhesive surface is glued to the free inner part of book cover 190 (this is the part of the cover lying on the finger-like members 11 in the case of
After that, bottom part 90 is turned around. On the side of plate 51 remaining below, that is through the fittings 53, a finger member 91 and a limiter supporting member part 92 are mounted. The parts of the construction are fixed to the bottom part 90 by bolts or screws 99 by means of fittings 53.
Threaded foot 1305 of thumb screw 19 is pushed into fastening position 1312 through a washer 1310 and the hole located in the lateral guiding device 1311. If fastening position 1312 is made elongate, the distance between lateral guiding device 1311 and the finger-like members 11 can be adjusted.
Modifications and substitutions by one of ordinary skill in the art are considered to be within the scope of the present invention, which is not to be limited except by the allowed claims and their legal equivalents.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2011 078 020 | Jun 2011 | DE | national |
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/IB2012/053117 | 6/20/2012 | WO | 00 | 12/13/2013 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
WO2012/176137 | 12/27/2012 | WO | A |
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1692779 | Kline | Nov 1928 | A |
2776431 | Strong | Jan 1957 | A |
3016538 | Oussani | Jan 1962 | A |
3101478 | Oussani | Aug 1963 | A |
4102543 | Smith | Jul 1978 | A |
4610386 | Augostini | Sep 1986 | A |
5390842 | Joyce | Feb 1995 | A |
5626275 | Chen | May 1997 | A |
5692666 | Dallas | Dec 1997 | A |
5806749 | Chen | Sep 1998 | A |
6715656 | Stanard | Apr 2004 | B1 |
7090110 | Adams | Aug 2006 | B2 |
7306131 | Bargo | Dec 2007 | B2 |
Number | Date | Country |
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2290257 | Dec 1995 | DE |
Entry |
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International Preliminary Report on Patentability for PCT Application PCT/IB2012/053117, WIPO Jan. 9, 2014. |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20140119853 A1 | May 2014 | US |