Patent Application
20240417205
This patent application is based on and claims priority pursuant to 35 U.S.C. § 119 (a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2023-098751, filed on Jun. 15, 2023, in the Japan Patent Office, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to a medium processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, and an image forming system.
A medium processing apparatus performs predetermined processing to a sheet-shaped medium as a processing target. In addition, an image forming apparatus includes a functional unit corresponding to a medium processing apparatus in its housing and forms an image on a sheet-shaped medium and an image forming system including a medium processing apparatus and an image forming apparatus that are coupled together.
A plurality of types of predetermined sheet processing (also referred to as “post-processing” because of corresponding to a post-process in image forming processing) is performable by such a medium processing apparatus. For example, “binding processing” for binding multiple sheets as media in a bundle and punching processing for punching a sheet. Examples of such binding processing include “on-line binding” and “off-line binding”. In the on-line binding, respective ends of sheets subjected to image forming are aligned and then the aligned ends are bound, followed by ejection of the sheets as a sheet bundle. In the off-line binding, sheets subjected to image forming are ejected to, for example, an ejection tray and then a user bundles the ejected sheets together, followed by binding processing.
The present disclosure described herein provide a medium processing apparatus includes: a binder to bind multiple sheets at a binding position to form a sheet bundle; a sheet inserter having an opening into which the sheet bundle is insertable from an outside of the sheet inserter to a bindable region having the binding position; and a binding position verifier allowing the multiple sheets, inserted from the opening to the bindable region, to be verifiable from an outside of the sheet inserter.
A more complete appreciation of embodiments of the present disclosure and many of the attendant advantages and features thereof can be readily obtained and understood from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
The accompanying drawings are intended to depict embodiments of the present disclosure and should not be interpreted to limit the scope thereof. The accompanying drawings are not to be considered as drawn to scale unless explicitly noted. Also, identical or similar reference numerals designate identical or similar components throughout the several views.
In describing embodiments illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology is employed for the sake of clarity. However, the disclosure of this 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 have a similar function, operate in a similar manner, and achieve a similar result.
Referring now to the drawings, embodiments of the present disclosure are described below. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Hereinafter, embodiments of a liquid coater, a method of controlling the liquid coater, and an image forming system according to the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
A multifunction peripheral (MFP) 1 as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.
As illustrated in
As optional units for adding optional functions, a punching processing unit 200 and a binding processing unit 100 are attachable to the internal space 302. The punching processing unit 200 enables punching processing, and the binding processing unit 100 enables binding processing for binding multiple sheets S in a bundle. Note that the binding processing unit 100 corresponds to a medium processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. The binding processing unit 100 is also referred to as “a binder”.
The image forming device 300 ejects, to the punching processing unit 200 or the binding processing unit 100, a sheet S conveyed due to pick up from a sheet housing tray. The image forming device 300 may be of an inkjet type that forms an image with ink or may be of an electrophotographic type that forms an image with toner. The image forming device 300 has an already known configuration and thus a detailed description thereof will be omitted.
The punching processing unit 200 is attached to the internal space 302 of the MFP 1 such that the punching processing unit 200 is located downstream of the image forming device 300 and upstream of the binding processing unit 100 on a conveyance path for sheets S ranging from the image forming device 300 to the binding processing unit 100 (on a path indicated with a dashed arrow in
Note that the punching processing unit 200 is detachably attachable to the MFP 1. Removal of the punching processing unit 200 results in a state exemplified in
Next, a control configuration of such an MFP 1 including a binding processing unit 100 will be described with
Referring to
The MFP 1 includes a display 303 that notifies a user of the state of each type of device or operation details, an operation device 304 that a user operates to set, for example, a mode or the number of copies, and a sheet feeding device 305 that stores sheets S and feeds the sheets S sheet by sheet. The MFP 1 includes an imaging device 306 that forms a latent image on a photoconductor such that an image is transferred to a sheet S, and a fixing device 307 that fixes the image transferred to the sheet S. The MFP 1 further includes an image formation controller 308 that controls the operation of each device described above.
The binding processing unit 100 as an exemplary medium processing apparatus includes a binding processing controller 102 and a binding processor 101. The binding processing controller 102 receives an instruction for processing from the image formation controller 308 of the MFP 1 through a communication line 309. The binding processor 101 performs the specified processing to the specified sheet S.
The image formation controller 308 and the binding processing controller 102 coupled through the communication line 309 can exchange information. Thus, information regarding operation mode, information regarding the size of sheets S, or information regarding timing is exchanged, enabling a systematic operation.
Similarly, the MFP 1 includes a display 303, an operation device 304, and a sheet feeding device 305. Similarly, the MFP 1 further includes an imaging device 306 and an image formation controller 308.
A binding processing unit 100 as an exemplary medium processing apparatus includes a binding processing controller 102 and a binding processor 101. The binding processing controller 102 receives an instruction for processing from an image formation controller 308 of the MFP 1 through a communication line 309. The binding processor 101 performs the specified processing to the specified sheet S. The binding processor 101 is notified of specification information regarding processing details to a sheet S through a punching processor 201.
The image formation controller 308 and the binding processing controller 102 coupled through the communication line 309 can exchange information. Thus, information regarding operation mode, information regarding the size of sheets S, or information regarding timing is exchanged, enabling a systematic operation.
The punching processing unit 200 includes a punching processing controller 202 that receives an instruction from the binding processing controller 102 through a communication line 103 after the image formation controller 308 of the MFP 1 issues an instruction for processing to the binding processing controller 102 through the communication line 309. The punching processing controller 202 controls the punching processor 201 to perform the specified punching processing.
Next, a hardware configuration of the binding processing unit 100 included in an MFP 1 will be described with
The CPU 110 in the binding processing unit 100 is connected to the image formation controller 308 of the MFP 1 through the I/F 120 and controls the binding processing unit 100 in response to a processing signal from the MFP 1. The binding processing unit 100 is an optional device and thus has a detachably attachable hardware configuration.
Note that an I/F for connection between the image forming device 300 and the binding processing unit 100 includes, for example, a relay connector or a drawer connector that enables a detachably attachable hardware configuration. Note that an I/F for connection between the punching processing unit 200 and the image forming device 300 has a similar configuration.
Drive motors that drive a plurality of conveyance roller pairs for binding processing in the binding processing unit 100 are each equipped with an encoder enabling detection of the amount of driving of the corresponding motor based on the number of pulses. Therefore, each conveyance roller pair can drive or stop at a position corresponding to a particular amount of driving with a particular timing as the base point, leading to implement of control of conveying a sheet S by a predetermined amount in a predetermined direction.
The amount of driving of each motor can be calculated based on the pulses of the corresponding encoder measured with the timing at which a sensor on the conveyance path is turned ON or OFF as the base point. Then, based on the calculated amount of driving of each motor, the position of an end of the sheet S being conveyed can be detected.
As exemplified in
Next, the configuration of the binding processing unit 100 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.
Note that, as described later, a binding unit available for manual binding processing in the binding processing unit 100 is not limited to the stapling unit 19. Used can be a crimp binding unit 26 that can perform crimp binding, that is, deforms part of a sheet bundle Sb by pressure to bind the sheet bundle Sb with no staple. Then, as exemplified in
As exemplified in
That is, the following exemplified binding processing unit 100 may be any of a binding processing unit 100 including a stapling unit 19 with no crimp binding unit 26, a binding processing unit 100 including a crimp binding unit 26 with no stapling unit 19, and a binding processing unit 100 having a hybrid configuration including a stapling unit 19 and a crimp binding unit 26.
As illustrated in
The binding processing unit 100 has a plurality of settable operation modes and appropriately operates based on the set operation mode. Examples of the operation modes that the binding processing unit 100 has include a “shift ejection mode” in which a sheet S is conveyed and ejected without being subjected to binding processing in the range of from the upstream side (image forming device 300) to an ejection tray 20 and a “binding mode” in which the stapling unit 19 or the crimp binding unit 26 performs binding processing to a sheet S.
In the shift ejection mode, the sheet S conveyed from the MFP 1 is received by an entrance roller 11 and then is conveyed to an ejection roller 16, followed by ejection of the sheet S to the ejection tray 20.
In the binding mode, the sheet S conveyed from the MFP 1 is received by the entrance roller 11 and then is conveyed to a shift roller 13 in a first direction. In response to passage of the sheet S through the shift roller 13, a tap roller 15 is driven to put the sheet S onto a stack tray 17 as an inner tray. After that, due to operations of the tap roller 15 and a return roller 14, the sheet S is conveyed to the rear end of the stack tray 17. In this case, the sheet S is conveyed to a reference fence 18 for alignment of respective ends of sheets S.
In the binding mode, such an operation of putting a sheet S on the stack tray 17 and then conveying the sheet S to the reference fence 18 as above is repeated until the number of sheets to be bound is fulfilled. Then, after the last sheet S is conveyed to the reference fence 18, a binding unit, such as the stapling unit 19 or the crimp binding unit 26, performs binding processing to bind an end of a bundle of sheets S (sheet bundle Sb). The bound sheet bundle Sb is ejected to the ejection tray 20 by the ejection roller 16.
Note that respective ends of sheets S or sheet bundles Sb ejected to the ejection tray 20 are hit against an end fence 21 for alignment.
When a user inserts a sheet bundle Sb into the slit 23 and then presses down a processing start button 24 provided to part of the outer cover 25 of the binding processing unit 100, stapling processing or crimp binding processing is performed. The processing start button 24 corresponds to an operation means that issues an instruction for starting manual binding processing.
The stapling unit 19 or the crimp binding unit 26 is allowed to have its home position (initial position) at the binding position in manual stapling. That is, as the home position, set can be a position corresponding to the binding position for a sheet bundle Sb when ends of the sheet bundle Sb are each hit against a hitting portion for sheet bundle positioning after a user inserts the sheet bundle Sb into the slit 23 for setting.
Note that, as a sheet bundle positioning configuration, for example, as exemplified in
Note that, in the example of
In a case where the longitudinal side of the opening through which a sheet bundle Sb is inserted into the slit 23 is located on the near side, the “far side” in the present specification corresponds to the opposite side to the longitudinal side. That is, the “far side” corresponds to the upper side of the drawing of
As exemplified in
Binding Processing Unit According to Second Embodiment
Note that, like the exemplifications in
A binding processing unit 100 including a transparent plate 27 according to another embodiment will be described. For example, as exemplified in
As exemplified in
As illustrated in
Note that, in a case where a binding unit (stapling unit 19 or crimp binding unit 26) is located in the range of the slit 23 (slit section) at the time of visual verification of the binding position, the binding unit results in an obstacle between the marking 271 and the sheet bundle Sb, so that advance verification of the binding position fails. Thus, at the time of visual verification of the binding position, like the exemplification in
A binding processing unit 100 including a transparent plate 27 provided with a marking 271 according to another embodiment will be described. For example, as exemplified in
A plurality of types of binding processing including stapling processing (binding processing with a staple) and crimp binding processing (binding processing with no staple) is performable in the binding processing unit 100. For example, as illustrated in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Note that, regardless of any type of binding processing or any binding method, as illustrated in
A binding processing unit 100 including a transparent plate 27 provided with a marking 271 according to another embodiment will be described. For example, a marking 271 can be provided to such a transparent plate 27 as exemplified in
Referring to
Referring to
In each case, the marking 271 is present as a positional indicator indicating the binding position in the range in which visual verification can be performed from outside through the transparent plate 27 with a sheet bundle Sb positioned for manual binding processing. Therefore, in a case where a user to press down a processing start button 24 inserts a sheet bundle Sb in a slit 23 from the front side of the binding processing unit 100 and operates with the processing start button 24 in view from the upper side (top side), the user can visually verify the inside of the slit 23 so as to look down at the binding position from above. That is, the position for binding processing (binding position) can be verified with visual verification of the overlap between the marking 271 and the sheet bundle Sb.
A binding processing unit 100 including a transparent plate 27 provided with a marking 271 according to another embodiment will be described. For example, as exemplified in
As illustrated in
Thus, a user can easily visually verify which position inward from an end of a sheet bundle Sb corresponds to the binding position.
Note that, in a case where a marking 271 is provided to the transparent plate 27 on the lateral side, preferably, the angle at which the user looks in at the transparent plate 27 is specified such that the marking 271 correctly overlaps the binding position for the sheet bundle Sb. Thus, as illustrated in
A binding processing unit 100 including a transparent plate 27 provided with a marking 271 according to another embodiment will be described. For example, a marking 271 can be provided to the lateral portion of such a transparent plate 27 as exemplified in
Referring to
Referring to
In each case, the marking 271 is present as a positional indicator indicating the binding position in the range in which visual verification can be performed from outside through the transparent plate 27 with a sheet bundle Sb positioned for manual binding processing. Therefore, in a case where a user to press down a processing start button 24 inserts a sheet bundle Sb in a slit 23 from the front side of the binding processing unit 100 and operates the processing start button 24 above the slit 23 while visually verifying the inside of the slit 23 from the lateral side (front side), the user can visually verify the inside of the slit 23, laterally.
In this case, the angle at which the user looks in at the transparent outer cover needs specifying such that the marking 271 on the transparent plate 27 on the lateral side correctly overlaps the binding position for the sheet bundle Sb. Thus, as illustrated in
The verification outer cover includes the positional indicator on a lateral wall of the verification outer cover. The binder is bindable the multiple sheets at multiple binding positions having the binding position, the verification outer cover includes multiple positional indicators including the positional indicator, and the multiple positional indicators respectively disposed at the multiple binding positions. The binder binds the multiple sheets with multiple types of bindings, and the binder changes the multiple types of bindings in response to types of the multiple positional indicators.
Next, a binding processing unit 100 according to another embodiment will be described.
As illustrated in
For example, according to the exemplification in
That is, in the state illustrated in
Note that a method for a change to a marking 271 is not limited to a structure in which a plurality of markings 271 is provided and a positional change makes a change to one of the plurality of markings 271, like the transparent slide plate 28. For example, as illustrated in
In order to provide markings 271 at places, such a slidable transparent slide plate 28 as in the present embodiment may be used or a transparent plate 27 having such a structure as exemplified in
The binding processing unit 100 according to the present embodiment enables use of a marking 271 corresponding to the manner for binding processing and enables the binding position to be visually verified from outside.
Next, a binding processing unit 100 according to another embodiment will be described.
The slide plate sensor 29 includes slide plate sensors, of which the number is identical to the number of markings 271, located at terminations in the slide direction of the transparent slide plate 28. For example, referring to
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
Based on a detection signal from the slide plate sensor 29, a CPU 110 in the binding processing unit 100 according to the present embodiment determines which binding has been selected, end binding or oblique binding. Binding processing is controlled based on a result of the determination, leading to a change in the type of binding processing (manner for binding processing) responsive to the selected type of positional indicator (marking 271).
The slide plate sensor 29 is not limited in type and thus may be a transmissive sensor or a reflective sensor. The binding method is not limited to end binding and oblique binding. The slide plate sensor 29 may be any sensor, provided that the transparent slide plate 28 can be detected.
Next, a binding processing unit 100 according to another embodiment will be described.
The light control film 30 is a film-shaped member of which the transparency can be changed due to energization, that is, the transparency can be controlled due to adjustment of applied voltage. For example, the light control film 30 is opaque in energization and is transparent in non-energization.
For example, in a case where a stapling unit 19 is located at the performable position of manual binding processing like the exemplification in
In a case where the stapling unit 19 is located out of the performable position of manual binding processing like the exemplification in
Next, a binding processing unit 100 according to another embodiment will be described. In a case where a stapling unit 19 has moved to a position at which manual binding processing is allowed like the exemplification in
A user notifier is not limited to the above. For example, used may be a notifier that emits a sound in response to detection of insertion of a sheet bundle Sb to the bindable position in a slit 23. For example, a sheet bundle sensor 31 is provided to a conveyance direction stopper 25a and a width direction stopper 25b. The sheet bundle sensor 31 outputs, to a CPU 110, a detection signal indicating that a sheet bundle Sb has hit against the stoppers.
Based on the detection signal from the sheet bundle sensor 31, the CPU 110 causes a speaker 311 as a notifier to emit a sound to notify the user that manual binding processing is allowed. Alternatively, in a case where a display 303 or an operation device 304 includes a sound output mechanism, the user may be notified, through an electronic sound or a voice, that manual binding processing is allowed.
Next, a binding processing unit 100 according to another embodiment will be described.
The small-scale slit 231 has a shape similar to the shape of a section that the slit 23 has near hitting positions against a sheet bundle Sb. The small-scale slit 231 is provided with a transparent small plate 232 as the top of the small-scale slit 231. The transparent small plate 232 is provided with a marking 271. Note that the “shape of a section near hitting positions against a sheet bundle Sb” means a shape similar to the shape of a section near the binding position for the sheet bundle Sb having ends hit against a conveyance direction stopper 25a and a width direction stopper 25b.
Since part of the opening is provided with the small-scale slit 231 and the transparent small plate 232 having the marking 271 is disposed as the top of the small-scale slit 231, the binding position for a sheet bundle Sb can be visually verified before insertion of the sheet bundle Sb in the slit 23.
The verified position corresponds to the binding position of manual binding processing to the sheet bundle Sb inserted in the slit 23. Thus, verification can be performed in advance as to whether or not binding processing is to be performed to any unintended place (e.g., to any portion on which an image or character is printed).
In conventional manual binding processing with an internal medium processing configuration the binding position is difficult to visually verify because a binding unit is located inside. However, such a disadvantage can be solved with the binding processing unit 100 according to each embodiment described above.
That is, in manual binding to a sheet bundle Sb with such a conventional configuration, verification fails to be performed in advance as to whether or not the binding position overlaps the image formed position. Thus, binding is performed at the image formed position, leading to a deterioration in the quality of a finished sheet bundle. In contrast to this, the binding processing unit 100 according to each embodiment enables a user who performs manual binding to visually verify the binding position for a sheet bundle Sb before binding processing. Thus, the user can verify, in advance, which position on the sheet bundle Sb binding processing is to be performed to, leading to prevention of binding at the image formed position.
In other words, a medium processing apparatus can be equipped with a transparent outer cover provided with a positional indicator such that an intended position for binding overlaps a sheet bundle at the time of inward viewing at a certain angle. Thus, a user can verify the relationship between the position of a sheet bundle and the binding position inside the manual binding slit. In manual binding processing, the user can perform binding processing while verifying the binding position precisely, leading to an improvement in the accuracy of the binding position for the sheet bundle.
Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the teachings within the technical scope of the present disclosure. It is therefore to be understood that the above-described embodiments of the present disclosure may be practiced otherwise by those skilled in the art than as specifically described herein. Such modifications and variations are included in the technical scope described in the appended claims.
Aspects of the present disclosure are, for example, as follows.
According to Aspect 1, provided is a medium processing apparatus for bundling multiple sheets as sheet-shaped media together to form a sheet bundle, the medium processing apparatus including:
According to Aspect 2, in the medium processing apparatus of Aspect 1, the binding position verifier includes a verification outer cover that is part of an outer cover of the medium processing apparatus and allows the performable position to be visually verified from outside.
According to Aspect 3, in the medium processing apparatus of Aspect 2, the verification outer cover includes a positional indicator indicating a binding position at which the binding processing is to be performed, at a position overlapping the performable position, and allows the positional indicator overlapping the multiple sheets inserted through the opening to be visually verified from outside.
According to Aspect 4, in the medium processing apparatus of Aspect 3, the verification outer cover has a top portion provided with the positional indicator.
According to Aspect 5, in the medium processing apparatus of Aspect 3 or 4, the verification outer cover has a lateral portion provided with the positional indicator.
According to Aspect 6, in the medium processing apparatus of any one of Aspects 3 to 5,
According to Aspect 7, in the medium processing apparatus of Aspect 6, the binder changes a type of the bind processing in response to a type of the positional indicator.
According to Aspect 8, in the medium processing apparatus of any one of Aspects 2 to 7,
According to Aspect 9, the medium processing apparatus of any one of Aspects 1 to 8 further includes:
According to Aspect 10, in the medium processing apparatus of any one of Aspects 1 to 9,
According to Aspect 11, an image forming apparatus includes:
According to Aspect 12, an image forming system includes:
The functionality of the elements such as the binding processing controller 102 or the binding processor 101 disclosed herein may be implemented using circuitry or processing circuitry which includes general purpose processors, special purpose processors, integrated circuits, application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), and/or combinations thereof which are configured or programmed, using one or more programs stored in one or more memories, to perform the disclosed functionality. Processors are considered processing circuitry or circuitry as they include transistors and other circuitry therein. In the disclosure, the circuitry, units, or means are hardware that carry out or are programmed to perform the recited functionality. The hardware may be any hardware disclosed herein which is programmed or configured to carry out the recited functionality.
There is a memory that stores a computer program which includes computer instructions. These computer instructions provide the logic and routines that enable the hardware (e.g., processing circuitry or circuitry) to perform the method disclosed herein. This computer program can be implemented in known formats as a computer-readable storage medium, a computer program product, a memory device, a record medium such as a CD-ROM or DVD, and/or the memory of an FPGA or ASIC.
The above-described embodiments are illustrative and do not limit the present disclosure. Thus, numerous additional modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, elements and/or features of different illustrative embodiments may be combined with each other and/or substituted for each other within the scope of the present disclosure.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-098751 | Jun 2023 | JP | national |
