Bookbinding apparatus and image forming system

Abstract

A bookbinding apparatus that binds a book by stacking a plurality of sheets to generate a bundle of sheets, and by wrapping the aforesaid bundle of sheets with a cover sheet in a U-shaped form, wherein there are provided the first holding member for holding the bundle of sheets, the second holding member that is arranged to have an initial gap between itself and the first holding member at an initial position, a moving device that moves at least the second holding member from its initial position, a measuring device that measures a thickness of the bundle of sheets by causing the moving device to operate so that the first holding member and the second holding member may hold the bundle of the sheets and a control device that practices measurement operation to measure the initial gap between the first holding member and the second holding member.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of book S3.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of a method to measure a thickness of a bundle of sheets S1.

FIG. 3 is a central sectional-view of an image forming system.

FIG. 4 is a front sectional-view of bookbinding apparatus B.

FIG. 5 is an illustration showing processes of coating adhesive on a bundle of sheets S1.

FIG. 6 is an illustration showing coating operations for adhesive 63 by coating section 60.

FIG. 7 is an illustration showing how cover sheet S2 is joined.

FIG. 8 is an illustration showing how cover sheet S2 is joined.

FIG. 9 is a top view of a cover sheet supporting device.

FIG. 10 is an illustration showing processing of a cover sheet after being joined.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a control system in an image forming system.

FIG. 12 is a flow chart showing operations for measuring a thickness of a bundle of sheets S1.

FIG. 13 is an illustration concerning operations of the first holding member 502 and the second holding member 503.

FIG. 14 is a flow chart showing operations for measuring initial gap “A” by using a timer.

Claims

1. A bookbinding apparatus which binds a book by stacking a plurality of sheets to generate a bundle of sheets and by wrapping the bundle of sheets with a cover sheet in a U-shaped form, the bookbinding apparatus comprising: a first holding member for holding the bundle of sheets;a second holding member which is arranged to have an initial gap between the first holding member and the second holding member when the second holding member is in an initial position;a moving device for moving at least the second holding member from the initial position;a measuring device for measuring a thickness of the bundle of sheets by causing the moving device to operate so that the first holding member and the second holding member hold the bundle of the sheets; anda control device for practicing a measuring operation so as to measure the initial gap between the first holding member and the second holding member.

2. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring device measures the thickness of the bundle of sheets based on an initial gap value measured in the measuring operation and a travel distance of the second holding member from the initial position.

3. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a storing device for storing the initial gap value measured in the measuring operation,wherein the measuring device measures the thickness of the bundle of sheets based on the initial gap value read from the storing device.

4. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 1, wherein the measuring operation for measuring the initial gap is conducted when power of the bookbinding apparatus is turned on.

5. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a time measuring device for measuring an elapsed time period since a time-measurement starting time,wherein when the elapsed time period measured by the time measuring device arrives at a predetermined time period, the measuring operation for measuring the initial gap is conducted.

6. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the control device conducts the measuring operation and stores the initial gap value in the storing device at the time-measurement starting time and if the elapsed time period measured by the time measuring device is shorter than a predetermined time period, the measuring device measures the thickness based on the initial gap value measured at the time-measurement starting time and if the elapsed time period measured by the time measuring device has arrived at the predetermined time period, the control device conducts the measuring operation to remeasure the initial gap and store an remeasured initial gap value in the storing device and the measuring device measures the thickness based on the remeasured initial gap value.

7. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the time-measurement starting time is when power of the bookbinding apparatus is turned on.

8. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 5, wherein the time-measurement starting time is when a last measuring operation for measuring the initial gap is conducted.

9. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a coating section for coating adhesive on a spine portion of the bundle of sheets; anda cover sheet joining section for joining a cover sheet on the spine portion where adhesive has been coated.

10. The bookbinding apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: an image forming device for forming an image on a sheet,wherein the bookbinding apparatus stacks sheets on each of which an image has been formed by the image forming device so as to generate the bundle of sheets.

11. An image forming system in which a bookbinding apparatus which binds a book by stacking a plurality of sheets to generate a bundle of sheets and by wrapping the bundle of sheets with a cover sheet in a U-shaped form and an image forming apparatus which forms an image on a sheet are connected to each other, the image forming system comprising: a first holding member for holding the bundle of sheets;a second holding member which is arranged to have an initial gap between the first holding member and the second holding member when the second holding member is in an initial position;a moving device for moving at least the second holding member from the initial position;a measuring device for measuring a thickness of the bundle of sheets by causing the moving device to operate so that the first holding member and the second holding member hold the bundle of the sheets; anda control device for practicing a measuring operation to measure the initial gap between the first holding member and the second holding member.

12. The image forming system of claim 11, wherein the measuring device measures the thickness of the bundle of sheets based on an initial gap value measured in the measuring operation and a travel distance of the second holding member from the initial position.

13. The image forming system of claim 11 further comprising: a storing device for storing the initial gap value measured in the measuring operation,wherein the measuring device measures the thickness of the bundle of sheets based on the initial gap value read from the storing device.

14. The image forming system of claim 11, wherein the measuring operation for measuring the initial gap is conducted when power of the bookbinding apparatus or power of the image forming apparatus is turned on.

15. The image forming system of claim 11 further comprising: a time measuring device for measuring an elapsed time period since a time-measurement starting time,wherein when the elapsed time period measured by the measuring device arrives at a predetermined time period, the measuring operation for measuring the initial gap is conducted.

16. The image forming system of claim 15, wherein the control device conducts the measuring operation and stores the initial gap value in the storing device at the time-measurement starting time and if the elapsed time period measured by the time measuring device is shorter than a predetermined time period, the measuring device measures the thickness based on the initial gap value measured at the time-measurement starting time and if the elapsed time period measured by the time measuring device has arrived at the predetermined time period, the control device conducts the measuring operation to remeasure the initial gap and store a remeasured initial gap value in the storing device and the measuring device measures the thickness based on the remeasured initial gap value.

17. The image forming system of claim 15, wherein the time-measurement starting time is when power of the bookbinding apparatus or power of the image forming apparatus is turned on.

18. The image forming system of claim 15, wherein the time-measurement starting time is when a last measuring operation for measuring the initial gap is conducted.

19. The image forming system of claim 11 further comprising: a coating section for coating adhesive on a spine portion of the bundle of sheets; anda cover sheet joining section for joining a cover sheet on the spine portion where adhesive has been coated.