Patent Application
20090311077
This application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-154039 filed on Jun. 12, 2008 in Japanese Patent Office, the entire content of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
The present invention relates to a notch forming device for forming a notch on the edge of the sheet constituting a sheet bundle outputted by execution of a job, and a bookbinding apparatus and bookbinding system for producing a booklet by forming a sheet bundle by stacking the sheets with notches formed thereon and by gluing the sheet bundle with adhesive.
Various forms of techniques have been proposed to produce a booklet using the method wherein a plurality of sheets with an image formed thereon are bundled to form a sheet bundle, and the sheet bundle and a cover sheet are glued by adhesive. An example of a proposed technique is a bookbinding system equipped with an image forming apparatus such as a photocopier and printer. In this system, a plurality of the sheets with an image formed thereon by an image forming apparatus are automatically bundled to form a sheet bundle. This sheet bundle is glued to a cover sheet using adhesive, whereby a booklet is produced.
The following describes the general procedure of binding a booklet using this bookbinding system. A plurality of sheets with an image formed thereon are stacked and aligned to form a sheet bundle. Then the spine of the stacked and aligned sheet bundle is coated with adhesive. Then the cover sheet is conveyed and stopped at a predetermined position, whereby the cover sheet is glued to the spine of the sheet bundle. This procedure allows a plurality of sheets and a cover sheet to be integrated into one body, whereby a booklet is bound.
Each of
a shows that the cover sheet K is not folded, and
Incidentally, when adhesive is coated directly on the spine Sb of the sheet bundle Sa so that the sheet bundle Sa is glued to the cover sheet K, sufficient adhesive strength between the sheet bundle Sa and cover sheet K cannot be maintained, with the result that some of the sheets S fall out of the bound booklet. Such a problem occurs in some cases.
In one of the methods to solve this problem, notches V are formed on the edge of the sheet S corresponding to the spine Sb of the sheet bundle Sa, as shown in
Each of
Notches V are formed on the edge of the sheet S. When the sheets S are bundled into a sheet bundle Sa, the notch grooves Va of
Various forms of patterns can be designed for the notch grooves Va formed on the sheet bundle Sa. For example, as shown in
Further, the pattern of each notch groove has different characteristics. For example, as shown in
As shown in
As described above, the characteristics of the booklet differs according to the pattern of the notch grooves Va. Different users have different requirements. For example, some require protection against removal of the sheets from a booklet, and others want to avoid the spine split. Further, to bind an adequate booklet, it is preferred that the notch grooves Va of an adequate pattern should be automatically selected in conformance to the type of the sheets S or the number of the sheets in the sheet bundles Sa.
However, the pattern of the notch grooves Va are fixed to one type, for example, and one pattern of the notch grooves Va is used to bind all booklets. Alternatively, the adhesive strength of the booklet fails to meet the requirements. Because of these problems, an appropriate booklet cannot be produced easily in conformance to the user's demands.
An aspect of a notch forming device of the present invention is as follows.
A notch forming device including,
a notch forming section for forming a notch on the edge of the sheets constituting a sheet bundle to be outputted by execution of a job,
a moving section for changing the position of the notch on the sheets formed by the notch forming section, and
a control section for controlling at least the moving section to ensure that the notch groove constituted by the notch is formed on an edge of the sheet bundle,
wherein the aforementioned control section controls at least the moving section for the purpose of forming the notch groove of a pattern that is different according to setting content of the job to be executed, on the edge of the sheet bundle.
A bookbinding apparatus relating to the present invention includes,
the aforementioned notch forming device, and a bookbinding section for producing a booklet by forming a sheet bundle by stacking the sheets on which a notch is formed by the notch forming device and by gluing a side of the edges of the sheets having the notch formed thereon, using adhesive.
A bookbinding system relating to the present invention includes,
an image forming apparatus which is provided with an operation section through which the aforementioned setting content is inputted, and which forms an image on sheets, and
the aforementioned bookbinding apparatus for binding a booklet using the sheets on which an image is formed by the image forming apparatus.
Each of
Each of
Each of
a, 13b and 13c are a perspective view, front view, and partially enlarged view representing the sheet bundle consisting of the sheets containing notches.
Each of
a and 17b are explanatory diagrams showing the other patterns of the notch grooves formed on the sheet bundle.
Each of
Each of
Each of
The image forming apparatus A includes an image formation section which is provided with a rotating image carrier 1 and a charging section 2, image exposure section 3, development section 4, transfer discharger 5, and cleaning section 6 arranged around the rotating image carrier 1. After the surface of the image carrier 1 has been charged by the charging section 2, the image formation section performs exposure and scanning operations by the laser beam of the image exposure section 3 based on the image data captured from the document, whereby a latent image is formed. This latent image is developed by the development section 4, and a toner image is formed on the surface of the image carrier 1.
The sheet S fed from the sheet storage section 7A is conveyed to the transfer position of the image carrier 1. At the transfer position, the toner image is transferred onto the sheet S by the transfer discharger 5. After that, the electric charge on the surface of the sheet S is erased. The sheet S is separated from the image carrier 1 and is conveyed by the conveyance section 7B. After that, the toner image on the sheet S is heated and fixed onto the sheet S by the fixing section 8. The sheet S is ejected from the image forming apparatus A by the sheet ejection roller 7C.
When images are to be formed on both sides of the sheet S, the sheet S having been heated to have an image fixed thereon by the fixing section 8 is branched off from the ejection path by the conveyance path switching section 7D, and is switched back by the reverse conveyance section 7E so that the sheet S is reversed. The sheet S is again conveyed to the image formation section, whereby an image is formed on the rear of the sheet S. The sheet S ejected from the sheet ejection roller 7C is fed into the bookbinding apparatus B.
The operation section 9 is mounted on the upper portion of the image forming apparatus A. The contents of the job to be executed by the bookbinding system are inputted by the user through the operation section 9.
As shown in
The main control section 100 is connected with a memory section 102, which stores the pattern information of the notch grooves Va to be described later.
To bind a booklet, the post-processing control section 200 controls the drive of various sections to be described later. To be more specific, the post-processing control section 200 controls the operation of a motor M1 for driving a coating roller 51, a motor M2 for driving the punch 302 of a notching section 300, a motor M4 for driving the support member 41 that supports the sheet bundle, the trimming section 70, booklet formation section, and a moving section 400 for driving notching section 300. The memory section 500 stores the data received from the image forming apparatus A by the bookbinding apparatus B. Based on the stored data, the post-processing control section 200 controls the operations of the motor M1 and motor M2.
When the sheet S is to be ejected to the sheet ejection section 20, the conveyance path switching section Z1 blocks the conveyance path “c” leading to the sheet bundle storage section 40, and opens the conveyance path “d” leading to the sheet ejection section 20. The sheet S passing through the conveyance path “d” leading to the sheet ejection section 20 is sandwiched by the conveyance roller 21 and is conveyed upward. This sheet S is then ejected into the fixed ejection tray 23 on the upper portion of the apparatus by the sheet ejection roller 22.
The sheet S branched off to the conveyance path “c” by the conveyance path switching section Z1 is sandwiched by the conveyance rollers 31, 32, 33 and 34, and is accommodated in a predetermined position of the reversing member 30. The reversing member 30 includes a sheet placement table 35 arranged at an inclined position, a positioning member 36 for determining the position of the trailing edge of the sheet, an alignment member 37 for aligning the sheet S across the width, and a conveyance roller 38.
The sheet S placed on the sheet placement table 35 of a reversing member 30 is sandwiched by the conveyance roller 38, and is ejected from the opening formed by the rocking motion of a positioning member 36. The sheet S is then conveyed in a downward slanting direction. The sheet S is sequentially stacked in the sheet bundle storage section 40.
The sheet bundle storage section 40 includes a support member 41 having an inclined stacking surface and a holder plate 42 that can be rocked. The sheet S coming downward from the reversing member 30 slides down onto the stacking surface of the inclined support member 41, and is stopped when the leading edge of the sheet S has come in contact with the holder plate 42, whereby the sheets S are supported in the inclined state. The longitudinal alignment member 43 presses the trailing edge of the sheets S in conformance to the size of the sheets S placed on the stacking surface of the support member 41, so that the leading edges of the sheets S are brought in contact with the holder plate 42. This procedure ensures that the leading edges of the sheets S are aligned. The sheet S sequentially ejected from the image forming apparatus A is switched backed by the reversing member 30, and is stacked on the sheet bundle storage section 40, whereby a sheet bundle Sa made up of a plurality of sheets S is formed.
The size of the sheets S and the number of sheets of the sheet bundle Sa as the setting conditions of the booklet to be bound by the bookbinding apparatus B are set on the operation section 9 of the image forming apparatus A, or on an external device such as a personal computer linked to the image forming apparatus A.
The lateral alignment member 44 presses the side edge of the sheets S conveyed from the reversing member 30 and accommodated in the sheet bundle storage section 40 to achieve lateral alignment of the sheets across the width.
The sheet bundle Sa stacked on the sheet bundle storage section 40 is pressed by the pressing member 45 along the thickness, whereby the sheet bundle Sa is sandwiched. When a preset number of sheets S have been stored in the sheet bundle storage section 40, the pressing member 45 is driven by a motor (not illustrated), and the sheet bundle Sa is sandwiched by the support member 41 and pressing member 45.
The support member 41 and pressing member 45 sandwiching the sheet bundle Sa are rotated around the axis 46 of the sheet bundle storage section 40 by the motor M4 and drive section 47 until the sheet bundle Sa in the inclined position is raised to the upright position. Under this condition, the lower surface of the sheet bundle Sa is apart from the coating roller 51 of the coating section 50. Further, when the sheet bundle Sa is sandwiched between the support member 41 and pressing member 45, the holder plate 42 is rotated from the position of the broken line to the position of the solid line by the drive section (not illustrated).
The coating section 50 includes a coating roller 51, a drive section 52 for driving the coating roller 51, an adhesive container 53 for accommodating the adhesive N such as glue, a moving member 54 that supports the adhesive container 53 and can travel from the initial position at the rear of the bookbinding apparatus B to the coating position at the front, a moving device 55 that provides reciprocating motion of the moving member 54 and a heater 56 for heating the adhesive N accommodated in the adhesive container 53.
The moving member 54 of the coating section 50 is moved by the drive section (not illustrated) in the direction parallel to the lengthwise direction of the lower surface of the sheet bundle Sa held in an upright position by the support member 41 and pressing member 45.
The moving member 54 starts movement from the initial position at the rear of the bookbinding apparatus B, and travels along the moving device 55 until it is stopped at a predetermined position at the front of the bookbinding apparatus B. After that, the moving member 54 is reversed to get back to the initial position.
The coating roller 51 dipped in the adhesive container 53 accommodating the adhesive N is rotated by the motor M1 and drive section 52. The outward movement or reciprocating motion of the moving member 54 allows the coating roller 51 to apply the adhesive N on the lower surface of the sheet bundle Sa sandwiched in an upright position, along the length thereof from the rear side R toward the front side F.
The regulating member 57 regulates the thickness of the layer of adhesive N applied to the outer peripheral surface of the coating roller 51.
As shown in
The trimming section 70 designed in an integrated structure with the booklet formation section 80 is located on the right of the booklet formation section 80 in the upward position of the cover sheet supply section 60 in the drawing. This trimming section 70 trims the cover sheet K along the length to a predetermined length, using the rotary cutter made up of a rotary blade 71 and stationary blade 72.
The predetermined length is obtained by adding the length of the spine of the sheet bundle Sa to the length of two sheets S in the traveling direction. For example, it is assumed that the cover sheet K is glued to the spine of the sheet bundle Sa made up of A4-sized sheets S and the folded bookbinding operation is performed and the maximum number of the sheets of the sheet bundle Sa is 300 and the thickness is about 30 mm. In this case, the predetermined length is set at 450 mm which is obtained by adding about 30 mm of the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa to two times 210 mm of short side length of the A4-sized sheet, and then the cover sheet K is trimmed (the overall length of the cover sheet K prior to trimming is 450 mm or more).
When a booklet is to be bound by the wrapping-type bookbinding operation of A5-sized, B5-sized and 8.5×11-inch (1 inch equivalent to 25.4 mm)-sized sheets S, a predetermined length is also set according to the length of the short side of the sheets and the thickness of the sheet bundle.
In the operation section 9 or external device of the image forming apparatus A, the control section sets the predetermined trimmed length of the cover sheet K, if the sheet size, number of sheets, and thickness of the sheets have been set or detected. The length of the cover sheet K prior to trimming is predetermined in response to the maximum number of sheets, and the sheets are stored in the cover sheet stacking section 61 of the cover sheet supply section 60.
The booklet formation section 80 includes conveyance rollers 81 and 82 that receive and convey the cover sheet K supplied from the cover sheet supply section 60 and stop it at a predetermined position, a pressurizing member 83 for pressing the cover sheet K against the adhesive coated surface of the sheet bundle Sa, a moving casing 84 for supporting the conveyance rollers 81 and 82 and the pressurizing member 83, an alignment section 85; and an elevating section 86 moving the moving casing 84 in the vertical direction.
The booklet formation section 80 and booklet ejection belt 88 formed integrally with each other are raised by the elevating section 86. When the booklet formation section 80 stops at the lower position to introduce the cover sheet K therein, the alignment section 85 moves from the initial position according to the size of the cover sheet K, and applies pressure to both sides of the cover sheet K across the width prior to the trimming operation, whereby alignment along the width is performed. The cover sheet K free of skew by means of widthwise alignment is switched back in the direction opposite to the direction of introduction. The cover sheet K is then conveyed to the trimming section 70 and is trimmed at a predetermined position.
Before the booklet formation section 80 glues the trimmed cover sheet K onto the spine of the sheet bundle Sa, the alignment section 85 moves from the initial position and presses both sides of the cover sheet K along the width again, whereby widthwise alignment is achieved at the lower position. Then the cover sheet K is stopped at a predetermined position. After that, the alignment section 85 goes back to the initial position without adversely affecting the bondage between the cover sheet K and sheet bundle Sa. This is followed by the step of upward traveling of the booklet formation section 80. At the time of upward traveling, the cover sheet K is supported at a predetermined position.
Accordingly, the alignment section 85 installed on the booklet formation section 80 capable of vertical travel determines the position of the cover sheet K across the width before and after the trimming of the cover sheet K by the trimming section 70. This procedure implements improvement of the cover sheet trimming precision, enhancement of positioning accuracy between the sheet bundle Sa and cover sheet K, and simplification of the structure.
The elevating section 86 moves the moving casing 84 to the upper position by rotating the belts on the right and left. In this upward traveling position, the center of the cover sheet K placed on the pressurizing member 83 is pressed against the surface coated with adhesive of the sheet bundle Sa, whereby the cover sheet K is glued with the sheet bundle Sa. Upon termination of the sheet bundle Sa being coated with adhesive, the coating section 50 travels backward and goes to the retracted position.
The cover sheet folding section is mounted on the top of the booklet formation section 80. The cover sheet folding section includes a pair of bilaterally symmetrical forming members 87A and 87B. The forming members 87A and 87B can be touchable and detachable with the sheet bundle Sa along the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa. The forming members 87A and 87B fold the cover sheet K along the side edge of the adhesive-coated surface of the sheet bundle Sa, and lay the front cover sheet and back cover sheet on top of the front and rear sides of the sheet bundle Sa.
Upon termination of the step of folding the cover sheet K, the booklet formation section 80 is lowered a predetermined distance by the downward drive of the elevating section 86, and is stopped after having retracted. After that, when the holding operation by the holding section has been turned off, the booklet Bk drops and the spine on the lower surface of the booklet Bk comes in contact with the top surface of the booklet ejection belt 88. The booklet Bk is placed in position and is ejected.
Each of
Each of
After the cover sheet K is glued onto the sheet bundle Sa coated with adhesive N, the forming members 87A and 87B are driven by a drive section (not illustrated) when the booklet formation section 80 is located at the upward position as shown in
The outer peripheral surface of the punch 302 opposed to the die 301 is fitted to the inner surface of the guide member 304 movably in the vertical direction. The drive section for providing vertical traveling of the punch 302 includes a motor M2; a small gear 305 connected with the motor M2; a large gear 306 meshing with the small gear 305; a crank 307 engaged to one edge of the large gear 306 and capable of rocking; and a connecting member 308 for connection between the crank 307 and the upper portion of the punch 302. The punch 302 is driven in the vertical direction by the motor M2 through the small gear 305, large gear 306, crank 307 and connecting member 308. Notches V (
Each of
The notch V formed on the trailing edge of the sheets S is shaped like capital V or U, in addition to a semicircle shown in
The numbers of the notches V and perforations “h” formed on the sheet S can be set as desired, by adjusting the numbers of the punches and dies. Two notches V of
In the operation section 9 of the image forming apparatus A, when the perforation processing and notch processing are not set, each of the sheets S ejected from the image forming apparatus A passes through the notching section 300 without being processed, and the sheets S are coated with adhesive.
In the operation section 9, when notch processing for forming notches V is set, the trailing edge of each of the sheets S is detected by the sensor PS (
In the operation section 9, when the perforation processing for punching the circular perforation “h” is set, the sensor PS (
The moving section 400 moves the notch forming sections 300A, 300B, 300C and 300D each having a punch 302 and die 301 in the lateral direction of
If the motor M3 is driven, the rack gear 404 moves in the lateral direction of
a is a perspective view showing the sheet bundle Sa formed of the sheets S having notches V.
As shown in
Entry of the adhesive into the notch grooves Va formed on the spine of the sheet bundle Sa increases the adhesive strength on the spine of the sheet bundle Sa. This prevents the sheets S that have insufficient adhesive strength from falling out of the booklet Bk produced by gluing the cover sheet K to the sheet bundle Sa when the booklet is open.
The notch grooves Va of
As shown in
As shown in
In the bookbinding apparatus B, there are a plurality of patterns of the notch grooves Va formed on the spine of the sheet bundle Sa. An appropriate pattern of the notch grooves Va is formed in conformance to the settings of the booklet production job executed by the bookbinding apparatus B. This will be described below.
Each of
The patterns of the notch grooves Va of each of
b shows the pattern wherein the notch grooves Va are formed substantially straight in the transverse direction. The pattern of
c shows the pattern wherein the notch grooves Va are curved in a zigzag manner. The pattern of
d shows the pattern wherein a notch grooves Va in a slanting direction are divided. The pattern of
As described above, each pattern of the notch grooves Va has a different characteristic. Thus, it is preferred that the pattern of the notch grooves Va suited for each job be selected based on the job settings for bookbinding, and the selected pattern of the notch grooves Va should be formed on the spine of the sheet bundle Sa. (For example, in the case of binding a booklet wherein the accidental removal of sheets S from the booklet hardly occurs, a pattern effectively minimizing removal of the sheets S is preferably selected and the selected pattern is preferably formed on the spine of the sheet bundle Sa). Thus, in the bookbinding system, the notch grooves Va of the different patterns according to the settings of the job to be executed are formed on the edge of the sheet bundle Sa.
The pattern of the notch grooves Va is automatically selected according to the settings such as the type of sheets S and the number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle Sa set by the user when the booklet binding job is set. Alternatively, the pattern is directly selected by the user when the booklet binding job is set.
The following describes the way wherein the pattern of the notch grooves Va is automatically selected according to the settings such as the type of sheets S and the number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle Sa for each booklet which are set by the user.
Before the booklet binding job is executed, the user sets the information such as the type of sheets S to be outputted through the operation section 9 of the image forming apparatus A. Further, when a booklet is to be bound by the bookbinding system which receives the booklet binding job from the external terminal, the user sets such information as the type of sheets S to be outputted through the external terminal.
The information to be set by the user includes the type of sheets S, the basis weight of the sheets S, the number of sheets constituting a sheet bundle Sa, and the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa. In the present embodiment, when the user has set the aforementioned information, the appropriate pattern of notch grooves Va is automatically selected based on the settings. The selection operation is performed by the main control section 100 of the image forming apparatus A according to a predetermined program. The appropriate pattern of the notch grooves Va is automatically selected by referencing the pattern tables shown in the following Tables 1 through 4 (wherein the pattern tables are stored in the memory section 102).
In the booklet binding job, when the user has set the type of sheets S through the operation section 9, the appropriate pattern is selected by reference to the following Table 1. In the Tables 1 through 4, the pattern of the notch grooves Va shown in
As shown in Table 1, when the plain paper or recycled paper has been selected by the user as the type of sheets S outputted for booklet binding, one of the patterns 2 through 4 is selected as the appropriate pattern. When a coated paper, quality paper, or book paper has been selected as the type of sheets S, pattern 1 is selected as the appropriate pattern.
When the user has set the basis weight of the sheets S on the operation section 9, an appropriate pattern is selected by reference to the pattern table of the following Table 2. The basis weight of the sheets S refers to the weight of the sheets S per unit area (per square meter) represented in terms of “g”.
As shown in Table 2, when the sheets S having a basis weight of 40 through 71 g/m2 have been selected by the user as the sheets to be outputted for booklet binding, pattern 4 is selected as the appropriate pattern. When the sheets S having a basis weight of 72 through 161 g/m2 have been selected as the sheets to be outputted for booklet binding, either pattern 2 or pattern 3 is selected as the appropriate pattern. When the sheets S having a basis weight of 162 through 300 g/m2 have been selected as the sheets to be outputted for booklet binding, pattern 1 is selected as the appropriate pattern.
When the number of sheets of the sheet bundle Sa for each booklet is set by a user through the operation section 9, the appropriate pattern is selected according to the pattern table of the following Table 3. If the number of sheets in the sheet bundle Sa is not set by the user, it is possible to make such arrangements, for example, that the documents are counted in the automatic document feeder DF, and the number of sheets in the sheet bundle Sa is calculated based on the count of the documents. Thus, the appropriate pattern is selected based on the calculation result according to the pattern table of the following Table 3.
As shown in Table 3, if the number of sheets in the sheet bundle Sa set by the user is in the range of 10 through 69, pattern 1 is selected as an appropriate pattern. If the number of sheets in the sheet bundle Sa set by the user is in the range of 70 through 150, pattern 2 is selected as an appropriate pattern. If the number of sheets in the sheet bundle Sa set by the user is in the range of 151 through 300, either pattern 3 or pattern 4 is selected as an appropriate pattern.
If the user has set the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa for each booklet through the operation section 9, the appropriate pattern is selected according to the pattern table given in Table 4. If the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa is not set by the user, it is possible to make such arrangements, for example, that the documents are counted in the automatic document feeder DF, and the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa is calculated based on the count of documents. Thus, the appropriate pattern is selected based on the calculation result according to the pattern table of the following Table 4.
As shown in Table 4, if the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa set by the user is in the range of 1.0 through 6.9 mm, pattern 1 is selected as an appropriate pattern. If the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa set by the user is in the range of 7.0 through 15.0 mm, pattern 2 is selected as an appropriate pattern. If the thickness of the sheet bundle Sa set by the user is in the range of 15.1 through 30.0 mm, either pattern 3 or pattern 4 is selected as an appropriate pattern.
When the user has set the type of sheets S, the basis weight of the sheets S and the number of sheets constituting the sheet bundle Sa in one job, an appropriate pattern is selected based on the setting of the type of sheets S as a priority item. For example, if settings are made in such a way that the type of sheets S is coated paper, the basis weight of the sheets S is in the range from 40 through 71 g/m2, and the number of sheets in the sheet bundle Sa for each copy of the booklet is in the range from 70 through 150, then pattern 1 is selected based on the setting of the type of sheets S as a priority item.
If a plurality of appropriate patterns can be selected based on Table 1 through Table 4, pattern 3 is selected in preference to the pattern 4, pattern 2 is selected in preference to pattern 3, and pattern 1 is selected in preference to pattern 2. For example, if the type of sheets S is plain paper, without other items being set, pattern 2 through pattern 4 can be selected according to Table 1. However, priority is given to pattern 2 so that pattern 2 is selected as an appropriate pattern.
As described above, if the pattern of the notch grooves Va is automatically selected according to the type of sheets S and the number of sheets in the sheet bundle Sa for each copy of the booklet which are set by the user, a binding procedure of properly bonded booklet can be performed.
The following describes the method wherein the pattern of the notch grooves Va is selected directly by the user at the time of setting the booklet binding job (i.e., the method wherein the pattern is selected based on the setting contents relating to the pattern of the notch grooves Va selected by the user)
When the booklet binding job is set, the patterns of a plurality of notch grooves Va stored in the memory section 102 are displayed on the operation section 9 as shown in
As described above, usability is enhanced by ensuring that the patterns of the notch grooves Va can be easily selected by the user at the time of setting the booklet binding job.
The following describes the procedure wherein notches are formed on the sheets S by the bookbinding apparatus B according to the pattern of the notch grooves Va selected in the image forming apparatus A.
An appropriate pattern of the notch grooves Va is selected in the image forming apparatus A according to the aforementioned method. When job execution has started, a step is taken to determine whether or not the information on the selected pattern of the notch grooves Va has been received by the bookbinding apparatus B from the image forming apparatus A (Step S1). This pattern information serves to allow the post-processing control section 200 operate the notch forming sections 300A, 300B, 300C, and 300D of the bookbinding apparatus B (
When it has been determined that pattern information has been received in the bookbinding apparatus B (Step S1: Yes), the received pattern information is temporarily stored in the memory section 500 of the bookbinding apparatus B. The sheet detecting sensor SEN installed on the conveyance path “a” detects whether or not sheet S has been conveyed in the bookbinding apparatus B (Step S3).
When the sheet detecting sensor SEN has detected that the sheet S has been conveyed (Step S3: Yes), the moving section 400 sets the notch forming sections 300A, 300B, 300C, and 300D at predetermined positions based on the pattern information received and stored in Steps S1 and S2 (Step S4). Notch processing is applied to the sheet S having been conveyed (Step S5), and notches V are formed at predetermined positions on the sheet S.
Then a step is taken to determine whether or not the sheet S having been subjected to notch processing corresponds to the final page of the job (Step S6). If it is not the final page, the procedures of Step S3 through Step S5 are repeated. Thus, the pattern of the notch grooves Va selected by the image forming apparatus A is formed on the spine of the sheet bundle Sa, whereby an appropriately glued booklet Sa is produced.
It should be noted that the pattern of the notch grooves Va is not restricted to the four patterns of
The pattern of
In addition to the method of selecting the pattern of the notch grooves Va registered in the bookbinding system in advance, it is possible to use the method wherein the pattern of the notch grooves Va is inputted by the user through the operation section 9, and notch grooves Va are prepared by the inputted pattern. Each of
To set notch positions of the first sheet in the sheet bundle Sa, the numerals are selected out of the numerals 1 through 20 denoting the notch positions on the operation section 9 as shown in
The pattern of the notch grooves Va is determined by setting the notch positions corresponding to the number of the sheets in the sheet bundle Sa. Notch grooves Va are formed on the spine of the sheet bundle Sa in the bookbinding apparatus B according to the pattern having been inputted. Thus, a booklet can be bound with the pattern of the notch grooves Va meeting the user's requirements. The pattern of the notch grooves Va having been inputted through the operation section 9 is stored in the memory section 102 of the image forming apparatus A. After that, the inputted pattern can be selected.
It should be noted that the present invention is not restricted to the present embodiments. The present invention includes appropriate modifications or additions, without departing from the technological spirit of the invention claimed.
In the present embodiment, an appropriate pattern is selected out of a plurality of patterns of notch grooves Va in the image forming apparatus A. It is also possible to make such arrangements that the traveling distance “t” of the notch V (
In the present embodiment, the operation of selecting the pattern of the notch grooves Va is performed according to a predetermined program by the main control section 100 of the image forming apparatus A. However, this operation can be performed by the post-processing control section 200 of the bookbinding apparatus B according to a predetermined program.
In the arrangement of
The notch forming sections 300A, 300B, 300C, and 300D of
In the bookbinding system of
Further, the notching section 300 and moving section can be installed on a post-processing apparatus that is separately provided in addition to the image forming apparatus A and bookbinding apparatus B.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008-154039 | Jun 2008 | JP | national |
