Patent Grant
7738830
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-014803 filed on Jan. 24, 2006 in Japanese Patent Office, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming system and a computer program of the same.
There has been well known the book-binding technology for creating a booklet in which a bunch of recording papers to be contents of the booklet (hereinafter, the term of the abovementioned “recording papers” is referred to as “main content sheets”) is covered by a cover sheet in such a manner that the main content sheets are enveloped by the cover sheet while one side, upper and lower sides of the bunch of the main content sheets are made to be open. In addition, there has been also well known the image forming apparatus that produces such the cover sheet on which a front cover image, a back cover image and a lining cover image are formed so as to provide the cover sheet mentioned in the above.
For instance, Patent Document 1 (Tokkai 2000-332987, Japanese Non-Examined Patent Publication) set forth the method for determining the reading width of the lining cover document by setting the width of the lining cover when reading the lining cover document, and reading the lining cover document.
The width of lining cover should be determined, based on the thickness of the bunch of the main content sheets. However, if the thickness of the bunch of the main content sheets is different from the value presumed in advance, it is necessary to change the width of the lining cover to new one.
According to the Patent Document 1, in the case mentioned in the above, the setting value of the width of the lining cover should be changed. However, since the reading width of the lining cover document becomes different from that established in advance due to the width change mentioned in the above, the lining cover image would be formed at a position shifted from the center of the lining cover sheet in its width direction when reading the lining cover document, which was initially prepared so as to position the image at the center of the lining cover sheet in its width direction, as it is. Accordingly, it has been a problem that it should be necessary to generate a new lining cover document in which the center of the image coincided with that of the lining cover sheet in its width direction based on the changed width of the lining cover sheet.
To overcome the abovementioned drawbacks in conventional image-recording apparatus, it is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus, which makes it possible to form a lining cover sheet image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, irrespective of change of the lining cover sheet width.
Accordingly, to overcome the cited shortcomings, the abovementioned object of the present invention can be attained by an image forming apparatus, an image forming system and a computer program, described as follow.
(1) An image forming apparatus, comprising: a lining cover-sheet width acquiring section to acquire information with respect to a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring section to acquire front cover-sheet image data, rear cover-sheet image data and lining cover-sheet image data; a cover-sheet image data arranging section to arrange the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a front cover sheet image and a rear cover sheet image are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, acquired by the lining cover-sheet width acquiring section, and to arrange the lining cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a lining image center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a lining cover sheet image in its width direction, coincides with a cover sheet center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, in its width direction; and an image forming section to form the total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, onto a recording medium, based on the front cover-sheet image data, the rear cover-sheet image data and the lining cover-sheet image data, which are arranged by the cover-sheet image data arranging section.
(2) An image forming system, comprising:
an image forming apparatus that includes: a lining cover-sheet width acquiring section to acquire information with respect to a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring section to acquire front cover-sheet image data, rear cover-sheet image data and lining cover-sheet image data; a cover-sheet image data arranging section to arrange the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a front cover sheet image and a rear cover sheet image are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, acquired by the lining cover-sheet width acquiring section, and to arrange the lining cover-sheet image data, acquired by the cover-sheet image data acquiring section, in such a manner that a lining image center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a lining cover sheet image in its width direction, coincides with a cover sheet center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, in its width direction; and an image forming section to form the total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, onto a recording medium, based on the front cover-sheet image data, the rear cover-sheet image data and the lining cover-sheet image data, which are arranged by the cover-sheet image data arranging section; and
a book binding apparatus that joins the recording medium, on which the total cover sheet image is formed by the image forming apparatus, to a bunch of paper sheets, in such a manner that the bunch of paper sheets is enveloped by the recording medium while one side, upper and lower sides of the bunch of paper sheets are made to be open.
(3) A product for storing computer program, the computer program comprising: a lining cover-sheet width acquiring step for acquiring information with respect to a lining cover-sheet width; a cover-sheet image data acquiring step for acquiring front cover-sheet image data, rear cover-sheet image data and lining cover-sheet image data; a cover-sheet image data arranging step for arranging the front cover-sheet image data and the rear cover-sheet image data, acquired in the cover-sheet image data acquiring step, in such a manner that a front cover sheet image and a rear cover sheet image are arranged at an interval of the lining cover-sheet width, acquired in the lining cover-sheet width acquiring step, and for arranging the lining cover-sheet image data, acquired in the cover-sheet image data acquiring step, in such a manner that a lining image center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a lining cover sheet image in its width direction, coincides with a cover sheet center line, indicating a center position of an image area of a total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, in its width direction; and an image forming step for forming the total cover sheet image, including the front cover sheet image, the rear cover sheet image and the lining cover sheet image, onto a recording medium, based on the front cover-sheet image data, the rear cover-sheet image data and the lining cover-sheet image data, which are arranged in the cover-sheet image data arranging step.
Embodiments will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings which are meant to be exemplary, not limiting, and wherein like elements are numbered alike in several Figures, in which:
The image forming apparatus 10 is provided with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11 for executing various kinds of controlling operations according to programs, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 13, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 14, a document reading section 15, a paper feeding section 16, an image forming section 17, an operation section 18, a display section 19 and a communication section 20, which are coupled to each other through a bus 12.
The ROM 13 stores various kinds of the programs and the data based on which the CPU 11 implements the operations for controlling the image forming apparatus 10.
The CPU 11 utilizes the RAM 14 as a working area in which the programs and the data necessary for implementing the controlling operations are temporarily stored.
The document reading section 15 reads document images of a front cover, main content sheets, a back cover and a lining cover in order to generate image data of them. The CPU 11 applies image processing operations to the generated image data, and then, outputs the processed image data to the image forming section 17.
The paper feeding section 16 accommodates cover sheets and main content sheets, and feeds a cover sheet or a main content sheet into the image forming section 17.
The image forming section 17 forms images onto the cover sheet or the main content sheets, based on the image data inputted from the document reading section 15.
The operation section 18 is operated by the user so as to input the width of the lining cover, a print commencement instruction, etc.
The display section 19 displays setting screens, such as a lining cover width-setting screen, etc. Further, it is also applicable that the touch panel is equipped on the display screen of the display section 19 so as to simultaneously serve as the operation section 18.
The communication section 20 serves as an interface for communicating with the external devices to receive the image data transmitted from the personal computer, etc.
The sizing case binding apparatus 30 is provided with a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 31 for executing various kinds of controlling operations according to programs, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 33, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 34, a joining section 35 serving as an adhesive bonding section, and a communicating section 36, which are coupled to each other through a bus 32.
The ROM 33 stores various kinds of the programs and the data based on which the CPU 31 implements the operations for controlling the sizing case binding apparatus 30.
The CPU 31 utilizes the RAM 34 as a working area in which the programs and the data necessary for implementing the controlling operations are temporarily stored.
The joining section 35 has a coating section 351 for coating a bonding adhesive onto the lining area of the bunch of the main content sheets ejected from the image forming apparatus 10, so as to join the cover sheet, on which the cover sheet images are formed by the image forming apparatus 10, and the lining area together with the bonding adhesive.
The communication section 36 is coupled to the image forming apparatus 10 to transmit the various kinds of data between the communicating section 36 and the image forming apparatus 10.
<Brief Explanation of Cover Sheet Image-Forming Operation>
As shown in
When combining the rear cover-sheet image data B, the lining cover-sheet image data S and the front cover-sheet image data F with each other, the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F are disposed at an interval of a lining sheet width D established by the operation section 18, and at the same time, the lining cover-sheet image data S are disposed at such a position that a central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S coincides with a central line BFC of the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, which are disposed in the width direction. Further, an overlapping area A of the lining cover-sheet image data S in the total cover-sheet image data shown in
Incidentally, the width direction is defined as the X-direction shown in
To make the image data, corresponding to the overlapping area A of the lining cover-sheet image data S, invalid, various kinds of methods, such as a method for recognizing the overlapping area A so as to make the image data corresponding to the overlapping area A of the lining cover-sheet image data S invalid, a method for recognizing an area corresponding to the lining sheet width D within the lining cover-sheet image data S in order to extract image data of an area other than that corresponding to the lining sheet width D within the lining cover-sheet image data S, etc., can be employed as needed.
In
As mentioned in the foregoing, by disposing the lining cover-sheet image data S at such a position that the central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S coincides with the central line BFC of the interval area between the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, it becomes possible to form the lining cover image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, since the center of the lining cover-sheet image data S is always located at the center of the lining cover, even if the lining cover sheet width would be changed.
Further, by making a part of the lining cover-sheet image data S, corresponding to the overlapping area A at which the lining cover-sheet image data S overlap the rear cover-sheet image data B or the front cover-sheet image data F, invalid, it becomes possible to obtain the total cover-sheet image data shown in
Still further, if the document size of the lining cover sheet is the same as those of the front cover sheet, the main content sheets and the rear cover sheet, it becomes possible to easily set the documents onto the document reading section 15, since it is only required to simply overlap the lining cover sheet onto the other documents.
<Cover Sheet Image Formation Processing>
At first, the CPU 11 controls the display section 19 to display the lining cover-sheet width inputting screen. In response to the above, the user inputs the lining sheet width D from the operation section 18 so as to input the lining sheet width D into the CPU 11 (Step S1).
Successively, the user sets the document onto the document reading section 15, and inputs an instruction for commencing the printing operation from the operation section 18. Then, the CPU 11 drives the document reading section 15 so as to input the document images (Step S2). Accordingly, as described by referring to
Next, the CPU 11 conducts a synthetic processing for generating the total cover-sheet image data (Step S3). The synthetic processing will be detailed later.
Next, the CPU 11 sends a command to the paper feeding section 16 for feeding a cover sheet accommodated in the paper feeding section 16 to the image forming section 17, and sends another command to the image forming section 17 for conducting the image forming operation so as to form the images based on the total cover-sheet image data synthesized in the Step S3 onto the cover sheet fed into the image forming section 17 (Step S4). Accordingly, the synthesized image based on the total cover-sheet image data is formed on the cover sheet.
<Total Cover-Sheet Image Data Synthetic Processing>
At first, the CPU 11 extracts specific page image data sets to be utilized for forming images onto the cover sheet from the page image data sets inputted in Step S2 shown in
Next, the CPU 11 arranges the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F at an interval of the lining sheet width D inputted in Step S1 shown in
Further, the CPU 11 calculates a position of the central line BFC in the interval area located between the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, which are arranged at the interval of the lining sheet width D (Step S33).
Still further, the CPU 11 calculates a width W of the lining cover-sheet image data S, and calculates a position of the central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S in width direction (Step S34).
Still further, the CPU 11 attaches the lining cover-sheet image data S to the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F arranged in Step S32. At this time, the lining cover-sheet image data S is disposed at such a position that the central line SC of the lining cover-sheet image data S, calculated in the Step S34, coincides with the central line BFC in the interval area between the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F, which are disposed at the interval of the lining sheet width D (Step S35).
Successively, the CPU 11 extracts the overlapping area A at which the lining cover-sheet image data S overlap with the rear cover-sheet image data B and the front cover-sheet image data F (Step S36).
Further, the CPU 11 conducts the processing of the lining cover-sheet image data S in the overlapping area A (Step S37). In the case of
In the embodiment described in the foregoing, the image data are inputted from the document reading section 15. However, it is also applicable that the image data are inputted from external devices, such as a personal computer, etc., through the communication section 20.
Further, in the embodiment described in the foregoing, the rear cover-sheet image data B, the front cover-sheet image data F and the lining cover-sheet image data S are arranged on the basis of the programs installed in advance in the image forming apparatus 10. However, it is also applicable that the image data sets are generated in any one of the external devices, such as a personal computer, etc., and the rear cover-sheet image data B, the front cover-sheet image data F and the lining cover-sheet image data S are arranged on the basis of the programs installed in the external device concerned, such as the printer driver, etc.
According to the present invention, since the center of the lining cover sheet and the center of the lining cover-sheet image data always coincide with each other in the width direction, it becomes possible to form the lining cover sheet image at an appropriate position of the lining cover sheet, even if the lining cover sheet width would be changed.
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described using specific term, such description is for illustrative purpose only, and it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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