This patent specification is based on and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application Nos. 2009-066681, filed on Mar. 18, 2009, and 2009-227314, filed on Sep. 30, 2009 in the Japan Patent Office, each of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a bookbinding device connected to an image forming apparatus such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine capable of at least two of these functions, a bookbinding system including a bookbinding device and an image forming apparatus, and a bookbinding method.
2. Discussion of the Background Art
At present, finishers to perform post-processing, such as aligning, sorting, stapling, punching, and/or bookbinding, of multiple sheets of recording media discharged from image forming apparatuses, such as copiers, printers, facsimile machines, or multifunction devices including at least two of these functions, are widely used. Bookbinding includes stitching one edge portion or a center portion of a batch of sheets, attaching adhesive tape to one edge of the batch of sheets, and punching an end portion of the sheets and then binding together the sheets into a book using a metal coil, a plastic ring binder, or the like.
Certain conventional finishers connected to image forming apparatuses can only punch multiple punch holes into each sheet along a side to be bound (hereinafter “bound side”) one sheet at a time, arrange the multiple sheets in sequential order, and then discharge the multiple sheets to a discharge tray without binding. Then, end users must bind together the sheets thus discharged with a binder such as metal or plastic rings or coils (hereinafter “ring member”) using an offline bookbinding device (e.g., ring-binding device) or by manually binding them using tools.
By contrast, certain known sheet processing systems have multiple sheet processing devices, such as a punch unit, a stapler, and the like, connected in series to an image forming apparatus and automatically perform aligning, sorting, stapling, and/or punching, of sheets of recording media on which images are formed by the image forming apparatus.
Recently, bookbinding devices that can perform ring binding online (i.e., automatically) have come to be used, which can improve the productivity of sheet processing significantly.
For example, certain known bookbinding devices include a transport unit to transport sheets to a predetermined position and an aligning unit to align and store temporally multiple sheets transported by the transport unit. The aligning unit includes a paddle roller unit to align a leading edge and a side of the multiple sheets with respective reference positions. The paddle roller unit has a double-fin structure formed with a rotary body and a multilayered fin provided around the rotary body, with multiple fins each having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined degree of flexibility.
Although there are convenient online bookbinding devices, there are cases in which bookbinding cannot be executed online. For example, it is possible that a front cover and a back cover are larger than the sheets to be bound together therebetween to protect the sheets to be bound and to improve the appearance of the book. However, the above-described known bookbinding devices cannot align and bind together such multiple differently-sized sheets automatically.
Therefore, there is a need for a bookbinding device capable of binding together multiple differently-sized sheets automatically, which known approaches fail to do.
In view of the foregoing, one illustrative embodiment of the present invention provides a bookbinding device to bind together multiple sheets of recording media including a first sheet and a second sheet smaller than the first sheet in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet transport direction in which the sheets are transported.
The bookbinding device includes a punch unit to form a line of ring holes in a predetermined portion along a side of a respective one of the multiple sheets, an aligning unit disposed downstream from the punch unit in the sheet transport direction to align the multiple sheets punched by the punch unit in the width direction, and a ring-binding unit disposed adjacent to the aligning unit to insert rings of the ring member into the ring holes formed in the multiple sheets.
The aligning unit includes a pair of first aligning members, a pair of second aligning members, a swing shaft extending perpendicular to the sheet transport direction, rotatably supporting the second aligning members, and a driving source to rotate the second aligning members. Each of the first aligning members includes a sheet loading surface to support the multiple sheets and a side wall perpendicular to the sheet loading surface, to align the first sheet by contacting a side edge portion of the first sheet in parallel to the sheet transport direction. Each of the second aligning members includes a lower surface facing the sheet loading surface of the first aligning member and a contact surface perpendicular to the lower surface. The contact surface aligns the second sheet smaller than the first sheet by contacting a side edge portion of the second sheet in parallel to the sheet transport direction. The driving source rotates the second aligning members away from the sheet loading surfaces of the first aligning members when the first aligning member align the first sheet and rotates the second aligning members toward the sheet loading surfaces of the first aligning members when the second aligning members align the second sheet.
Another illustrative embodiment provides a bookbinding system including an image forming apparatus to form an image on a sheet and the bookbinding device described above.
Yet another illustrative embodiment provides a method of binding together multiple differently-sized sheets using a bookbinding device including a punch unit, a pair of first aligning members, and a pair of second aligning members disposed inside the first aligning members in a width direction perpendicular to a direction in which the multiple sheets are transported.
The method includes forming a line of ring holes in a predetermined portion along a side of a respective one of the multiple sheets, rotating the second aligning members upward, aligning a first sheet in the width direction using the first aligning members, rotating the second aligning members downward, stacking a second sheet and any subsequent sheets smaller than the first sheet on the aligned first sheet, aligning the second sheet and the subsequent sheets smaller than the first sheet in the width direction using the second aligning members, and binding together the multiple sheets with a ring member.
A more complete appreciation of the disclosure and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily obtained as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In describing preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this patent specification is not intended to be limited to the specific terminology so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific element includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner and achieve a similar result.
Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding parts throughout the several views thereof, and particularly to
The bookbinding system 100 includes an image forming apparatus 1 that in the present embodiment is a digital multifunction machine capable of at least two of copying, printing, and facsimile transmission (hereinafter “MFP 1”), an inserter 4, a ring-binding device 7, and a finisher 8 connected in series.
The MFP 1 includes an automatic document feeder (ADF) 2 and an operation panel 3 provided with a display.
The inserter 4 is disposed downstream from the MFP 1 in a direction in which sheets of recording media discharged from the MFP 1 are transported in the bookbinding system 100 shown in
The ring-binding device 7 is disposed downstream from the inserter 4 in the sheet discharge direction, and the finisher 8 is disposed downstream from the ring-binding device 7. In the bookbinding system 100 shown in
The finisher 8 can perform post-processing, such as aligning, sorting, stapling, and punching one through four punch holes, for example, through a known method although descriptions thereof are omitted.
A procedure of online-bookbinding according to the present embodiment is described below with reference to
The user can select sheets set in the inserter 4 as covers of a batch of sheets (inserted sheets) output from the MFP 1. The user may input via the operation panel 3 or the computer whether the size of the covers transported from the inserter 4 is different from that of the sheets output from the MFP 1. Alternatively, the ring-binding device 7 may includes a sheet size detector 70 disposed along the sheet transport path. A ring-binding controller 7C of the ring-binding device 7 can control respective portions including the transverse joggers 14 and 23 according to the sizes of the inserted sheets and the cover sheets obtained via an MFP controller 1C of the MFP 1 or based on the detection of the sheet size detector 70.
Next, the configuration of the ring-binding device 7 is described below in further detail with reference to
The ring-binding device 7 includes a horizontal transport path 10, aligning trays 13 and 22, a hinged transport unit 30, a downstream transport unit 32, and a stack tray 34 disposed in that order in a direction in which the sheet is transported (hereinafter “sheet transport direction”) in the ring-binding device 7. The ring-binding device 7 further includes a clamp 25 and a ring-binding unit 29. The sheet output from the MFP 1 is transported along the horizontal transport path 10 in the ring-binding device 7. The sheet is horizontally transported to the finisher 8 when ring binding is not performed. When ring binding is to be performed, the sheet is reversed by a reverse roller 11 disposed in a downstream portion of the horizontal transport path 10 in the sheet discharge direction. Then, a switch pawl 12 disposed along the horizontal transport path 10 changes a route of the sheet, and the sheet is transported obliquely downward to a punch part including the aligning tray 13, a punch unit 16, a jogger 14 disposed above the aligning tray 13, a pair of transport rollers 15, and a stopper 20 disposed downstream from the aligning tray 13. The punch unit 16 includes a die 17, a punch 18, and a cam 19. It is to be noted that multiple pairs of rollers are provided along the horizontal sheet transport path 10 and other sheet transport paths to transport the sheet through the sheet transport paths.
In the punch part, when the sheet is placed on the aligning tray 13, the jogger 14 aligns the sheet in a transverse direction or width direction, perpendicular to the sheet transport direction.
The transport rollers 15 transport the sheet so that a leading edge portion of the sheet contacts the stopper 20 disposed downstream from the aligning tray 13, projecting into the sheet transport path, and thus a position of the sheet is fixed in the sheet transport direction. In other words, the position of the sheet in both the transverse direction and the sheet transport direction is fixed on the aligning tray 13 by the jogger 14 and the stopper 20. It is to be noted that the sheet is not damaged when contacting the stopper 20 because the transport rollers 15 are provided with a torque limiter.
Subsequently, the sheet is punched by the punch unit 16. The punch unit 16 punches multiple ring holes (punch holes) for ring binding. When the sheet is positioned by the jogger 14 and the stopper 20, a part of the sheet is on the die 17. In this state, the cam 19 rotates to push the punch 18 down, and thus multiple punch holes arranged in a row at predetermined or given constant intervals are formed in the sheet disposed between the die 17 and the punch 18. In this embodiment, the punch holes are lined along the transverse direction perpendicular to the sheet transport direction.
Each punch hole is formed at a predetermined or given distance from the stopper 20. After the sheet is thus punched, the stopper 20 is released to forward the sheet downstream in the sheet transport direction to an aligning section. Chads generated by punching are held in a punch chad container 21 disposed beneath the punch unit 16.
The aligning section (aligning unit) receives a batch of sheets to be bound together one by one and stacks the sheets on the aligning tray 22 while aligning them.
The aligning tray 22 is provided with a transverse jogger 23 (first aligning member) and a roller 24 that pushes the sheet in the sheet transport direction. While the roller 24 pushes the sheets against a fence (not shown), aligning the sheet in the sheet transport direction, the transverse jogger 23 aligns the sheets in the transverse direction or width direction.
An auxiliary fence 36 (second aligning member) is provided inside the transverse jogger 23 in the width direction so that multiple differently-sized sheets to be bound together can be aligned. Thus, for example, even when the cover sheet and the back cover of a batch of sheets are larger then the sheets sandwiched therebetween, the transverse jogger 23 can align them.
The aligning section further includes an aligning pin member 35 (shown in
By aligning the sheets relative to the punch holes, the sheets can be aligned reliably even when sizes of the sheets are different.
Next, ring binding is described below with reference to
After a batch of sheets are aligned on the aligning tray 22, the clamp 25 presses and holds one edge portion of the sheets on the side to be bound (hereinafter “bound side”). The ring-binding device 7 further includes a ring cartridge holder 26 that is disposed close to the aligning tray 22 and holds a ring cartridge 27 containing multiple ring members 28. In the present embodiment, the ring member 28 is formed with plastic and includes a bar to which multiple rings are attached, and each ring is divided into three portions that are connected so as to be openably closable. While the clamp 25 thus holds a batch of sheets, the ring-binding unit 29 swings to a position under the ring cartridge 27 to receive one of the ring members 28, swings back to under the clamp 25 with the ring member 28, and then puts the rings of the ring member 28 into the respective ring holes formed on the sheets.
After the sheets are thus bound with the ring member 28 (hereinafter “ring-bound sheets”), the transport unit 30 swings to under the clamp 25. Then, the clamp 25 is released, and thus the ring-bound sheets are placed on the transport unit 30, received by a release pawl 31 provided on a belt of the transport unit 30. Subsequently, the transport unit 30 swings counterclockwise in
It is to be noted that, in
The auxiliary fence 36 is described in further detail below.
In the configuration shown in
As shown in
The driving system 400 for the auxiliary fence 36 is described below with reference to
The pair of the right fence 36R and the left fence 36L approach and move away from each other, driven by the main driving belt 42 and the relay belt 44. Each base 36-1 slides along two slide bars 36c, and accordingly the right fence 36R and the left fence 36L move along the swing shaft 37A together with the respective bases 36-1 in the width direction. The driving system 400 further includes a transverse movement lever 50 that is rotated by the vertical driving motor 40, and the auxiliary fence 36 swings vertically, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the sheets, as the transverse movement lever 50 rotates. The vertical movement lever 50 is fitted around an outer circumferential surface of the swing shaft 37A and is driven by the vertical driving motor 40.
Additionally, first and second position detectors 45 and 46 are provided to detect home positions of the auxiliary fence 36.
The first and second position detectors 45 and 46 are light transmissive sensors, which are so-called photo-interrupters, and respectively detect a first filler 47 projecting outside from the base 36-1 on the left in
The amount by which the auxiliary fence 36 is moved in the width direction (e.g., transverse travel distance) from the home position, at which the first positional detector 45 detects the first filler 47, is adjusted by controlling the driving amount or step number of the transverse driving motor 41. Similarly, the amount by which the auxiliary fence 36 is moved in the vertical direction (e.g., vertical travel distance) from the home position, at which the second positional detector 46 detects the second filler 48, is adjusted by controlling the driving amount or step number of the vertical driving motor 40.
Sheet alignment by the transverse jogger 23 including the above-described auxiliary fence 36 is described below.
When cover sheets (e.g., a front cover and a back cover) 60 serving as a first sheet and a third sheet, respectively, are larger than sheets 61 serving as a second sheets to be inserted therebetween (hereinafter also “inserted sheets 61”), initially the auxiliary fence 36 is rotated upward around the swing shaft 37A before the aligning tray 22 receives the front cover 60, and then the side walls 23b of the transverse jogger 23 adjust the position of the front cover 60 on the aligning tray 22. Subsequently, the inserted sheets 61 are stacked on the front cover 60 on the aligning tray 22. More specifically, the auxiliary fence 36 descends until the lower edge surfaces 36a of the right fence 36R and the left fence 36L contact the front cover 60. In this state, the inserted sheets 61 are aligned in the width direction one at a time. As each inserted sheet 61 is stacked on the front cover 60, the right fence 36R and left fence 36L move in the width direction indicated by arrow B shown in
It is to be noted that the front cover 60 and the inserted sheets 61 are aligned with each other on the bound side in the present embodiment.
Subsequently, the position of the auxiliary fence 36 is adjusted to accommodate the back cover 61 that is also larger then the inserted sheets 61 although the back cover 60 is also to be aligned with the inserted sheets 61 on the bound side. In other words, the standby position of the auxiliary fence 36 is shifted outside for a predetermined distance, and the auxiliary fence 36 perform alignment operation from that position. Thus, the transverse jogger 23 including the auxiliary fence 36 can align the front and back covers 60 and the inserted sheets 61 smaller than the covers 60 as a batch of sheets. It is to be noted that the transverse jogger 23 (23R and 23L) and the auxiliary fence 36 (36R and 36L) can move separately.
In
The driving system further includes a timing belt 51 stretched between a driving pulley 53 and a driven pulley 54, and a jogger driving motor 52 coaxial to the driving pulley 53. The slide guides 56 are respectively connected to an upper side and a lower side of the timing belt 51 and move back and forth in the width direction (indicated by arrow B in
Additionally, as shown in
As shown in
It is to be noted that, in the present embodiment, when the covers 60 are larger than the inserted sheets 61 in both the sheet transport direction and the width direction, the covers and the inserted sheets 61 are aligned with each other on the side to be bound (bound side) while the covers 60 project from the inserted sheets 61 on other three sides.
Additionally, in the present embodiment, the punch unit 16 may punch each sheet with a center of a line of ring holes 62 either substantially aligned with or deviated from a center of the bound side of the sheet, which is achieved by controlling the jogger 14 to set relative positions of the center of the line of ring holes 62 and the center of the bound side of the sheet.
More specifically, the jogger 14 serves as a punch positioning unit to set the position of each sheet before punching in a transverse direction or width direction, in which the line of ring holes 62 are arranged. The jogger 14 includes a right jogger and a left jogger driven by different driving sources, and the right jogger and the left jogger can be positioned separately regardless of the center of the sheet in the width direction. With this configuration, the center of the line of ring holes 62 can be deviated from the center of the sheet.
When the center of a line of ring holes 62 is substantially aligned with the center of the bound side of the sheet, centers of the covers 60 and the inserted sheets 61 in the sheet transport direction can be substantially aligned with each other. Accordingly, the ring-bound book can have a good appearance.
Alternatively, the punch unit 16 punches each sheet with the center of the line of ring holes 62 deviated from the center of the bound side of the sheet. For example, one of the two sides in parallel to the sheet transport direction is set as a reference side, and the larger sheet (cover 60) and the smaller sheet (inserted sheet 61) can be set on the aligning tray 13 so that the distance from the reference side (reference end) to the ring hole 62 closest to the reference side is identical or similar in both the larger sheet and the smaller sheet. When the ring-bound book in which the reference end of the larger sheet is aligned with that of the smaller sheet stands on the reference end on a bookshelf or the like, the bottoms of both the larger sheet and the smaller sheet can contact the surface of the bookshelf. Thus, the position of the smaller sheet can be kept reliably when the ring-bound book stands on its end. As described above, by shifting the position of the ring holes 62, various ring binding can be attained.
Additionally, the ring-binding device 7 can be configured so that following operations can be selected when the sizes of the covers 60 and the inserted sheets 61 are different.
1) Ring binding is executed.
2) Alignment is executed but ring binding is not executed.
3) Punching is executed but ring binding is not executed.
Thus, users can select multiple operations according to the intended use of the batch of sheets to be bound together.
As described above, in the present embodiment, ring binding can be performed even when the lengths of the covers 60 and the sheets 61 in at least one of the sheet transport direction and the width direction perpendicular to the sheet transport direction are different.
Numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the disclosure of this patent specification may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2009-066681 | Mar 2009 | JP | national |
2009-227314 | Sep 2009 | JP | national |