PRINTING SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a printing system for performing print processing for printing an image on a sheet and binding processing for binding a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventionally, as a method for binding sheets on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, there is a sheet processing apparatus including a stapling mechanism for binding a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets using a binding member such as staples. In this type of sheet processing apparatus, binding processing is generally automatically performed for a sheet bundle including sheets conveyed from the image forming apparatus to the sheet processing apparatus.

On the other hand, there is a desire to perform binding processing using a manual operation by a user independently of an image forming operation separately from automatic binding processing. As a technique for performing binding processing using the manual operation, a technique for performing binding processing for a sheet bundle when the user performs the manual operation for inserting a sheet bundle from an opening (a discharge port) of a post-processing apparatus is discussed (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-264978).

There is a sheet processing apparatus including a stapling mechanism for binding a sheet bundle without using a binding member such as staples (e.g., Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Nos. 2010-189101 and 2012-025499). In the sheet processing apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-189101, binding processing for binding a sheet bundle by sandwiching the sheet bundle between tooth-shaped members without using a material such as staples in consideration of an attention to an environment and entangling fibers among sheets under pressure is discussed. In the sheet processing apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-025499, binding processing for forming a tongue-shaped piece and a notch hole in a sheet bundle and inserting the tongue-shaped piece into the notch hole to bind the sheet bundle is discussed.

If binding processing is performed for the sheet bundle, a state of sheets in the vicinity of a binding position affects binding strength in the binding processing. In binding processing for binding the sheets by entangling the fibers among the sheets in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-189101, for example, binding strength may be greatly lowered in a state of the fibers crimped once in the vicinity of the binding position. In binding processing for forming the tongue-shaped piece and the notch hole in the sheet bundle and inserting the tongue-shaped piece into the notch hole to bind the sheet bundle in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-025499, binding strength may be greatly lowered if there is a notch in the vicinity of a binding position.

Binding processing can be made executable using a manual operation for a sheet bundle manually inserted by a user. In this case, there is a case where a bound document bundle is unbound into documents, and the documents are copied and scanned and are then bound again into the document bundle using the manual operation.

In this case, binding processing is performed again in the vicinity of a position where binding processing is previously performed. Thus, binding strength may be lowered.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to making a binding position differ depending on whether staple less binding processing is performed for a sheet bundle manually inserted or staple less binding processing is performed for a sheet bundle having an image formed thereon.

According to an aspect of the present invention, a printing system includes a printing unit configured to print an image on sheets, a staple less binding unit configured to perform binding processing for a sheet bundle without using staples, and a control unit configured to perform control to make a binding position differ depending on whether the staple less binding unit performs binding processing for a sheet bundle including sheets on which the image is to be printed by the printing unit or the staple less binding unit performs binding processing for a sheet bundle including sheets on which the image is not to be printed by the printing unit.

Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printing system.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printing system.

FIG. 3 illustrates an operation unit provided in an image forming apparatus.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate processing for binding sheets by a binding unit.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate binding processing performed by a staple less binding unit.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a sheet binding position.

FIGS. 7A and 7B illustrate an operation unit provided in a sheet processing apparatus.

FIG. 8 illustrates an operation screen displayed on a panel of the operation unit.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for binding processing.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating a control method for binding processing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings. The exemplary embodiments described below are not intended to limit the invention as set forth in the claims, and all combinations of features described in the exemplary embodiments are not necessarily essential to a solution to the invention.

A first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described below. FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a printing system 101 according to the present exemplary embodiment.

In the above described printing system 101, various units such as a reading unit 118, a printing unit 120, and a sheet processing apparatus 103 may have an integral configuration contained in the same housing or separate configurations in separate housings.

For example, a system configuration in which a sheet processing apparatus such as the sheet processing apparatus 103 is made connectable as an option to a main body of an image forming apparatus 102 including the reading unit 118 and the printing unit 120 may be used, like in the present exemplary embodiment. For example, the main body of the image forming apparatus 102 may have an apparatus configuration including the sheet processing apparatus 103 as standard equipment. Thus, the present exemplary embodiment may have any apparatus configuration or system configuration.

The printing system 101 will be described below. The printing system 101 has a reading function for reading an image on sheets and a printing function for printing the image on the sheets. The printing system 101 has a sheet processing function for binding a plurality of sheets each having the image printed thereon, aligning the plurality of sheets, and distributing discharge destinations of the plurality of sheets among a plurality of trays. The sheets include sheets such as plain paper and thick paper and an overhead projector (OHP) sheet.

The image forming apparatus will be described below. A control unit 110 including a central processing unit (CPU) 111 controls the entire operation of the image forming apparatus 102. The CPU 111 reads out a control program stored in a read-only memory (ROM) 112 or a storage 114, to perform various types of control such as reading control and printing control. The ROM 112 stores a control program that is executable by the CPU 111. The ROM 112 stores a boot sequence or font information. A random access memory 113 is a main storage memory in the CPU 111, and is used as a temporary storage area for developing various types of control programs stored in a work area, the ROM 112, and the storage 114. The storage 114 stores image data, print data, various types of programs, and various types of setting information. While an auxiliary storage device such as a hard disk drive (HDD) is assumed as the storage 114 in the present exemplary embodiment, the HDD may be replaced with a flash disk represented by a solid state drive (SSD).

While the CPU 111 in the image forming apparatus 102 and a control unit 124 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 cooperate with each other to perform each of processes illustrated in a flowchart, described below, in the printing system 101 according to the present exemplary embodiment, other examples may be used. For example, a plurality of CPUs, RAMs, ROMs and storages may cooperate with one another, to perform each of the processes illustrated in the flowchart, described below. Some of the processes may be performed using a hardware circuit such as an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or a field programmable gate array (FPGA).

An operation unit interface (I/F) 115 connects an operation unit 116 and the control unit 110 to each other. The operation unit 116 indicates information to a user or inputs an instruction from the user. FIG. 3 is an external view illustrating the operation unit 116. The operation unit 116 includes a panel 301 on which an operation screen, described below, is displayed and a hardware key input unit 302. The panel 301 is a touch panel display, for example. The hard key input unit 302 includes various types of hard keys such as a start button 312 and a setting button 311. The user inputs an instruction by touching a key displayed on the panel 301 or pressing the various types of hard keys in the hard key input unit 302. The panel 301 may be a display having no touch panel function. In this case, key input by a scroll key for selecting a key displayed on the display and a determination key for determining the key provided as a hard key input unit may be used instead of key input by a touching operation.

The operation unit 116 receives an instruction from the user via the panel 301 and the input unit 302, and displays an operation screen on the panel 301, as needed.

A reading unit I/F 117 connects the reading unit 118 and the control unit 110 to each other. The reading unit 118 reads an image on sheets, and converts the image into image data such as binary data. The image data generated by the reading unit 118 is stored in the storage 114 or the RAM 113 in the control unit 110 via the reading unit I/F 117. The image data is transmitted to an external apparatus via a communication unit I/F 123, and is printed on sheets.

A printing unit I/F 119 connects the printing unit 120 and the control unit 110 to each other. The image data to be printed is transferred from the control unit 110 to the printing unit 120 via the printing unit I/F 119. The printing unit 120 receives a control command from the CPU 111 and the image data to be printed, and prints the image based on the image data on the sheets such as various types of paper.

The control unit 110 is connected to the network 100 via a communication unit I/F 123. The communication unit I/F 123 transmits image data and information to an external apparatus (a mail server, a file server, a personal computer (PC), etc.) on the network 100, and receives print data and information from an information processing apparatus on the network 100. The print data received via the communication unit I/F 123 is analyzed by the CPU 111, and is printed on the sheets by the printing unit 120.

A sheet processing unit I/F 121 connects the sheet processing apparatus 103 and the control unit 110 to each other. The control unit 124 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 receives the control command from the CPU 111, and controls a sheet processing unit 125 according to the control command. The operation unit 126 is an interface for receiving an instruction to perform sheet processing from the user. The control unit 124 controls the sheet processing unit 125 based on the instruction received by the operation unit 126.

The sheet processing unit 125 subjects the sheet, which has been conveyed by the image forming apparatus 102, to post-processing, according to the control by the control unit 124. For example, the post-processing such as sheet binding for aligning a plurality of sheets, distributing discharge destinations of the plurality of sheets among a plurality of trays, saddle-stitching the plurality of sheets, and binding the plurality of sheets is performed.

The sheet processing unit 125 can perform binding processing (manual binding) using a manual operation by the user according to the control by the control unit 124 (details of which will be described below).

A post-processing function and a post-processing capability of the sheet processing apparatus 103 are notified to the control unit 110 via the sheet processing unit I/F 121 previously (e.g., during the start of the printing system 101), and is notified to the storage 114 or the RAM 113. In the present exemplary embodiment, the sheet processing unit 125 can perform binding processing (a binding unit) for binding a plurality of sheets using at least staples and binding processing (a binding unit) for binding a plurality of sheets without using staples.

Printing processing and post-processing on sheets will be described below. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the printing system 101. In FIG. 2, the sheet processing apparatus 103 is connected to be adjacent to the image forming apparatus 102. However, an arrangement of the sheet processing apparatus 103 is not limited to that in an example illustrated in FIG. 2. The sheet processing apparatus 103 may be arranged within a housing of the image forming apparatus 102.

Each of a sheet feeding unit 232 and a sheet feeding unit 233 stores sheets. While the printing system 101 includes the two sheet feeding units in FIG. 2, the number of sheet feeding units is not limited to two. The printing unit 120 prints an image on a first surface of the sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit. The printing unit 120 may use an inkjet method for spraying an ink onto the sheet and printing an image on the sheet or may use an electrophotographic method for fixing toner onto the sheet and printing an image on the sheet.

In one-sided printing, a sheet having an image printed thereon is guided into a conveyance roller 226 and is conveyed to the sheet processing apparatus 103. On the other hand, in two-sided printing, a sheet having an image printed on its first surface is reversed by a reversing path (not illustrated), and is conveyed to the printing unit 120 again. The printing unit 120 prints an image on a second surface of the sheet. The sheet, on which the image is printed in the two-sided printing, is guided into the conveyance roller 226 and is conveyed to the sheet processing apparatus 103, like in the one-sided printing.

The printed sheet having the image printed thereon, which has been conveyed from the image forming apparatus 102, is conveyed onto a conveyance path in the sheet processing apparatus 103 via a sheet feeding port 201. The conveyed sheet is guided into a conveyance path directed toward any one of a discharge unit 203, a discharge unit 204a, and a discharge unit 205 by a conveyance path switching flapper 202, and is conveyed.

The sheet, which has been conveyed toward the discharge unit 203, is directly discharged onto the discharge unit 203. On the other hand, the sheet, which has been conveyed toward the discharge unit 205, is conveyed to a saddle stitching unit 211. The saddle stitching unit 211 temporarily retains the sheets to be conveyed in a tray (not illustrated), and saddle-stitches the sheets at a timing when the sheets are aligned as one sheet bundle. The sheets, which have been saddle-stitched, are folded in the middle via a middle folding tray 212, and is discharged onto the discharge unit 205 by a roller 213.

Then, the sheet, which has been conveyed toward the discharge unit 204a, is guided into the conveyance roller 226, and is discharged onto an intermediate tray 208. The intermediate tray 208 is sloped by positioning its downstream side (the left side in the figure) above in a vertical direction and positioning its upstream side (the right side in the figure) below in the vertical direction, in a sheet discharge direction, and can retain the plurality of sheets.

The intermediate tray 208 includes a bundle discharge roller pair 223 including a set of upper and lower bundle discharge rollers 223a and 223b arranged on the downstream side and a drawing paddle 222 arranged above its intermediate portion. The upper bundle discharge roller 223a is supported by a guide 224.

The guide 224 is movable up and down by a motor (not illustrated). Thus, the upper bundle discharge roller 223a provided in the guide 224 is separable and contactable from and with the lower bundle discharge roller 223b with an elevating operation of the guide 224. Therefore, a spacing between the rollers in the bundle discharge roller pair 223 is adjustable depending on the thickness of the sheet bundle retained in the intermediate tray 208.

The control unit 124 receives the sheets on the intermediate tray 208 with the guide 224 moved to its upper part to enter a state where the lower bundle discharge roller 223b is separated from the upper bundle discharge roller 223a.

Alignment members 221 are provided on the front side and the back side in a width direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction on the intermediate tray 208. The alignment members 221 respectively move in the width direction by a front alignment motor (not illustrated) and a back alignment motor (not illustrated). “Front” and “back” respectively mean a portion at the front of a sheet surface and a portion at the back of the sheet surface when the printing system 101 is viewed in a direction described in FIG. 2. The drawing paddle 222 rotates in a direction in which the sheet is pressed toward a stopper 408 in the intermediate tray 208 around its axis of rotation (e.g., counterclockwise in FIG. 2).

The sheet, which has been discharged onto the intermediate tray 208, slides downwardly on a stacking surface of the intermediate tray 208 or the sheets stacked on the intermediate tray 208 by the slope of the intermediate tray 208 and the rotation of the drawing paddle 222. The sheets, which have been discharged onto the intermediate tray 208, are aligned by the alignment member 221 during the downward sliding, and is stopped when a trailing edge of the sheet (an upstream edge in the sheet discharge direction) abuts on the stopper 408 in the intermediate tray 208.

The sheet bundle obtained by the alignment on the intermediate tray 208 is subjected to binding processing by a staple binding unit 214a and a staple less binding unit 214b, as needed. The staple binding unit 214a and the staple less binding unit 214b are movable in a direction perpendicular to the sheet conveyance direction along the outer periphery of the intermediate tray 208, and can move to a binding position designated by the user. The binding units 214a and 214b can bind a trailing edge in the conveyance direction of the sheet bundle retained on the intermediate tray 208.

The sheet bundle, which has been subjected to the post-processing such as binding processing by the sheet processing unit 125, is discharged onto the discharge unit 204a or 204b. More specifically, the guide 224 is moved so that the upper bundle discharge roller 223a abuts on the uppermost sheet on the intermediate tray 208, and the bundle discharge roller pair 223 is driven to rotate with the upper bundle discharge roller 223a abutting on the uppermost sheet, to discharge the sheet bundle that has been subjected to the post-processing. The discharge units 204a and 204b are slidable up and down by a motor (not illustrated), and the sheet bundle to be discharged from the intermediate tray 208 is discharged onto either one of the discharge units 204a and 204b.

Processing for the sheet processing apparatus 103 to feed the sheets, on which printing is performed by the image forming apparatus 102, from a feeding port 201 and to bind the sheets is hereinafter defined as automatic binding.

A manual binding function to be executed by the sheet processing apparatus 103 alone will be describe below. The user can manually insert the sheet bundle to be subjected to binding processing into the intermediate tray 208, from a discharge port 225. A sheet detection sensor 209 detects whether the sheet remains inserted. The sheet detection sensor 209 includes a transmission unit 209a and a reception unit 209b. The reception unit 209b receives light transmitted from the transmission unit 209a. The sheet detection sensor 209 detects the presence or absence of a document based on the intensity of the received light. While a light sensor for detecting the presence or absence of the sheet is assumed as the sheet detection sensor in the present exemplary embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a sensor capable of receiving a ultrasonic wave transmitted from the transmission unit 209a in the reception unit and detecting the rough number of documents based on the intensity of received data may be used. When the user operates the operation unit 126 while the sensor 209 has detected the sheets, binding processing can be performed for the sheet bundle manually inserted by the user.

Processing for the sheet processing apparatus 103 to bind the sheet bundle manually inserted by the user is hereinafter referred to as manual binding.

The sheet processing apparatus 103 and the image forming apparatus 102 cooperate with each other, to perform exclusive processing so that discharge of the sheet onto a discharge port 225 using a print job and insertion of the sheet bundle into the discharge port 225 are not simultaneously performed. For example, the control unit 124 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 sets a manual binding mode to ON (valid) and notifies the image forming apparatus 102 of the manual binding mode when it determines that the sheet bundle has been inserted. The image forming apparatus 102 makes a job for discharging the sheets onto the discharge unit 204a or 204b, inexecutable when it receives the notification.

On the other hand, the control unit 124 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 cancels the manual binding mode and notifies the image forming apparatus 102 of the cancellation of the manual binding mode when it determines that the sheet bundle has been removed. The image forming apparatus 102 makes the job for discharging the sheet onto the discharge unit 204a or 204b, executable when it receives the notification.

The control unit 124 may cancel the manual binding mode after an elapse of a predetermined period of time after determining that the sheet bundle has been removed. If the printing system 101 has a human presence sensor, the control unit 101 may cancel the manual binding mode when it determines that the user has left in response to an output of the human presence sensor.

The sheet processing apparatus 103 moves the guide 224 downward so that the sheet bundle cannot be inserted when it receives a notification that a print job using the discharge unit 204 is executed or is to be executed from the image forming apparatus 102. On the other hand, if the print job using the discharge unit 204 is not to be executed, the sheet bundle can be made insertable.

FIGS. 4A and 4B illustrate processing for binding sheets by the binding units 214a and 214b. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view illustrating the sheet processing apparatus 103 as viewed from the top. A sheet bundle 403 represents a sheet bundle that has been inserted from the discharge port 225 and has abutted on the stopper 408 and a plurality of sheets that has been conveyed from the image forming apparatus 102 and has abutted on the stopper 408. The sheet processing unit 125 moves the binding unit 214a or 214b to a binding position according to information about binding processing received from the control unit 124 to bind the plurality of sheets.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the binding unit 214a or 214b can move in a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction of the sheet bundle to perform binding processing. The control unit 124 can drive a movement motor (not illustrated) for moving the binding unit 214a or 214b to move the binding unit 214a or 214b. An arrow 411 indicates a range in which the binding units 214a and 214b can move. Therefore, binding processing can be performed for two points on each of upper, lower, left, and right sides of the sheet bundle or one point of each of corners thereof depending on the movement of the binding unit 214a and 214b and a direction in which the sheet bundle is discharged. A position where the binding processing is performed is set for each print job. Manual binding can be performed at one point of each of the corners of the sheet bundle depending on a direction in which the sheet bundle is inserted, for example.

The staple binding unit 214a and the staple less binding unit 214b may be provided as one unit in the sheet processing apparatus 103. If the staple binding unit 214a and the staple less binding unit 214b are provided as separate units, a retreat region for avoiding physical interference between the units may be provided.

The staple binding unit 214a performs binding processing by driving staples (not illustrated) serving as a binding member such as metallic staples into the sheet bundle on the intermediate tray 208 (hereinafter referred to as staple binding).

The staple less binding unit 214b performs binding processing for the sheet bundle on the intermediate tray 208 without using the binding member such as metallic staples. The staple less binding unit 214b is made slidable in a direction indicated by an arrow 410 in the figure, by using a position adjustment motor 405. Therefore, the control unit 124 can perform binding processing by driving the motor 405 to adjust a position of the staple less binding unit 214b when it performs binding processing at a binding position set in a job. Therefore, if binding processing is performed at the upper left corner based on the setting of the job, for example, the position where the binding processing is performed can be made to differ in the vicinity of the corner. The binding position may also be made adjustable by a position adjustment motor (not illustrated) for the staple binding unit 214.

A method for adjusting a binding position when binding processing is performed within a predetermined region such as a corner is not limited to this. For example, the control unit 124 may adjust, when binding processing is performed at a binding position set in a job, the binding position by driving a movement motor (not illustrated) to move the staple less binding unit 214b to a different position in the vicinity of the binding position. In this case, the motor 405 need not be provided. Alternatively, the binding position may be adjusted by combining the movement in the direction indicated by the arrow 411 by a movement motor (not illustrated) and the movement in the direction indicated by the arrow 410 by the motor 405.

Further, the stopper 408 on which the sheet bundle abuts may be made slidable without adjusting the position of the staple less binding unit 214b. FIG. 4B illustrates the stopper 408 and its vicinity. A detection position 409 indicates a detection position of the sensor 209, and the CPU 111 detects that a sheet has been inserted into the vicinity of the detection position 409 depending on the intensity of a signal received by the reception unit 209b.

When the position of the stopper 408 is changed, as illustrated in FIG. 4B, the position on which the sheet bundle 403 abuts changes. Even if staple binding is performed at the same corner using the sheet bundle 403 and the staple less binding unit 214b, therefore, positions where binding processing is performed can be made to differ.

If the stopper 408 is moved to change a binding position when manual binding is performed, the bundle discharge roller pair 223 may be used to assist in movement of the sheet bundle while interlocking with the movement of the stopper 408.

While manual binding for binding the sheet bundle inserted from the discharge port 225 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 is illustrated in the present exemplary embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention is also applicable to a configuration in which a slit into which a sheet bundle is to be inserted may be provided separately from the discharge port 225. In this case, manual binding may be performed at one point of a corner of the sheet bundle by disposing the slit on a front surface of the sheet processing apparatus 103 so that the user can easily access the slit, for example, and moving the binding units 214a and 214b to a position of the slit.

FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate binding processing by the staple less binding unit 214b. The staple less binding unit 214b in the present exemplary embodiment binds the sheet bundle 403 by crimping the sheet bundle 403 under pressure from above and below a plurality of sheets. FIG. 5A illustrates a state where the staple less binding unit 214b has moved to a binding position where the sheet bundle 403 is to be bound. An upper mold 501 presses the plurality of sheets from above. A plurality of convex-shaped blades 502 is arranged in the upper mold 501, and each of the blades 502 applies pressure to the sheets. A lower mold 505 presses the plurality of sheets from below. A plurality of recesses 504 corresponding to the plurality of blades 502 is arranged in the lower mold 505, and each of the recesses 502 receives the blade 502.

FIG. 5B illustrates a state where the upper mold 501 and the lower mold 505 have pressurized the plurality of sheets from above and below. When the upper mold 501 and the lower mold 505 pressurize the plurality of sheets, the sheets can be bound by entangling fibers among the sheets. Since the plurality of blades 502 and the plurality of recesses 504 pressurize a plurality of points of the sheets, the sheets are not easily stripped.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate a binding position of the sheets. FIG. 6A illustrates a binding position for the sheet bundle 403 in the present exemplary embodiment, and illustrates a case where binding processing is performed at an upper left corner of the sheet bundle 403. A position 601 indicates a first binding position by staple less binding. A position 602 indicates a second binding position different from the first binding position by staple less binding. A position 600 indicates a predetermined binding position by staple binding. While a case where the second binding position is inside the sheet bundle 403 as viewed from the first binding position is illustrated in FIG. 6A, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the second binding position may be outside the sheet bundle 403 as viewed from the first binding position.

A case where the user desires to perform binding processing using a manual operation may often be a use case where a bound document bundle is unbound into documents by removing staples therefrom, and the documents are copied and scanned and are bound again into the original document bundle.

If stapling is performed at the same corner of sheets regardless of whether automatic binding is performed without using staples or manual binding is performed without using staples, the following problems occur when binding processing is performed at the same position of the sheets.

For example, the user may unbind a document bundle, which has been printed by the image forming apparatus 102 and has been subjected to automatic binding without using staples, into documents once, and set the documents in the reading unit 118 and copy and scan the documents. In this case, the documents are bound again (returned to a bound state) by performing staple less binding processing again using manual binding after being copied and scanned.

However, in staple less binding, sheets are bound by entangling fibers among the sheets. Thus, a crimping force changes depending on a state of the fibers of sheet surfaces. When crimping is performed again for a portion where crimping has already been performed, for example, the fibers among the sheets are not easily entangled. Thus, binding strength is lowered.

Therefore, in the present exemplary embodiment, control is performed to shift a binding position when sheets are bound at the same corner regardless of whether automatic binding is performed without using staples or manual binding is performed without using staples.

FIGS. 7A and B illustrate the operation unit 126 provided in the sheet processing apparatus 103. FIG. 7A illustrates an example of the operation unit 126 in the sheet processing apparatus 103. The operation unit 126 includes hardware keys such as keys 701 to 703. The control unit 124 detects the press of the keys 701 to 703, to receive an instruction from the user. The key 701 is used when the user performs manual binding using no staples. The key 703 is used when the user performs manual binding using staples.

If the key 701 or 703 is pressed when the manual binding mode is ON (valid), the control unit 124 performs manual binding corresponding to the pressed key. On the other hand, even if the key 701 or 703 is pressed when the manual binding mode is OFF, manual binding is not performed.

The key 702 is a toggle key for setting whether a binding position is adjusted when manual binding using no staples is performed. Every time the user presses the key 702, a position adjustment flag is switched between ON (valid) and OFF (invalid). In the present exemplary embodiment, ON is set as an initial value of the position adjustment flag. The position adjustment flag is stored in a storage area (not illustrated) of the control unit 124, and is referred to, as needed, in a flowchart described below. FIG. 7A illustrates a case where position adjustment flag is set to ON.

The control unit 124 changes the manual binding mode to ON when it determines that the sheet bundle has been inserted based on an output value of the sensor 209. Further, the control unit 124 transmits a command for notifying the image forming apparatus 102 that the manual binding mode has been set to ON. The CPU 111 in the image forming apparatus 102 displays a screen corresponding to a manual binding function on the panel 301 based on the command received from the sheet processing unit 125. The screen corresponding to the manual binding function can also be displayed when the user has selected the manual binding function from a main menu screen and a function list screen displayed on the panel 301. In this case, the control unit 124 transmits a command to set the manual binding mode to ON from the CPU 111 to the sheet processing apparatus 103.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of a screen displayed on the panel 301 in the image forming apparatus 102, and illustrates a state where a key 802 has been selected. Keys 801 to 803 respectively have functions similar to those of the keys 701 to 703. Information 800 is information for presenting the number of sheets that can be bound by manual binding, to the user. A key 804 is used when a manual binding function is ended to close a screen. Information 805 is information for describing a function of a position adjustment key, and notifies the user that the sheets are bound more inside than usual. When the user binds a sheet bundle having no area which is locally-deformed by a binding process, the position adjustment key is set to OFF (invalid) so that manual binding using no staples can be performed at a normal binding position.

While an instruction to perform manual binding can be issued from both the image forming apparatus 102 and the sheet processing apparatus 103 in the present exemplary embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a configuration in which the operation unit 126 is not provided to receive the instruction to perform manual binding from the panel 301 in the image forming apparatus 102 may be used.

Furthermore, the operation unit 126 can also be simplified, as illustrated in FIG. 7B. FIG. 7B illustrates an example of the operation unit 126 in the sheet processing apparatus 103. A key 704 is used when manual binding is performed. In this case, the type of staples used when manual binding is performed and adjustment of a stapling position are previously set via the panel 301 in the image forming apparatus 102. The control unit 124 stores the setting of manual binding set via the panel 301 in the image forming apparatus 102 in a storage area (not illustrated). The control unit 124 performs manual binding according to the stored setting when it determines that the key 704 has been pressed. When a predetermined period of time has elapsed while it is determined that a sheet bundle has been inserted based on an output value of the sensor 209, manual binding may be performed based on previously performed setting of manual binding. In this case, the operation unit 126 need not be provided.

In the present exemplary embodiment, when stapling processing is performed as post-processing, a binding position is determined based on a flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9. Each of operations in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9 is implemented when the control unit 124 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 and the CPU 111 in the image forming apparatus 102 cooperate with each other to perform control. The flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9 is executed when binding processing is performed for a sheet bundle, on which printing is performed, based on job setting during execution of a print job, and when a key for performing manual binding discussed in FIG. 7 or 8 is selected while the manual binding mode is ON.

In step S901, the control unit 124 determines whether the type of stapling to be performed for the sheet bundle is staple binding. If it is determined that the type of stapling is the staple binding (YES in step S901), the processing proceeds to step S902. If it is determined that the type of stapling is not the staple binding (NO in step S901), the processing proceeds to step S903. In step S902, the control unit 124 controls the staple binding unit 214a, to perform binding processing by penetrating a sheet bundle with a staple at its predetermined position. On the other hand, in step S903, the control unit 124 determines whether the binding processing is manual binding. If the control unit 124 determines that the manual binding mode is ON (YES in step S903), the processing proceeds to step S905. If the control unit 124 determines that the manual binding mode is not ON (is OFF) (NO in step S903), the processing proceeds to step S904.

In step S905, the control unit 124 determines whether a binding position adjustment flag is ON (valid). If the control unit 124 refers to the binding position adjustment flag stored in a storage area (not illustrated) and determines that the binding position adjustment flag is ON (valid) (YES in step S905), the processing proceeds to step S906. If the control unit 124 determines that the binding position adjustment flag is OFF (invalid) (NO in step S905), the processing proceeds to step S904.

In step S904, the control unit 124 controls the motor 405, to move the staple less binding unit 214b to the first binding position 601, which is a position where binding processing is performed. Further, the control unit 124 controls the staple less binding unit 214b to pressurize the sheet bundle to perform binding processing.

In step S906, the control unit 124 controls the motor 405, to move the staple less binding unit 214b to the second binding position 602, which is a position where binding processing is performed. Further, the control unit 124 controls the staple less binding unit 214b to pressurize the sheet bundle to perform binding processing.

While the sheet processing apparatus 103 includes the staple binding unit 214a in the present exemplary embodiment, the present invention is also applicable to the sheet processing apparatus 103 not including the staple binding unit 214a. In this case, steps S901 and S902 are not executed so that control in steps S903 to S906 is performed. In this case, a screen configuration illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 can be a configuration excluding a function relating to staple binding, as needed.

While a case where a binding position is determined depending on whether the position adjustment flag is ON when manual binding using no staples is performed is illustrated in the present exemplary embodiment, the present invention is not limited to this. If the manual binding using no staples is performed (YES in step S903), for example, binding processing may be always performed at the second binding position 602.

As described above, in the present exemplary embodiment, the binding position can be made to differ depending on whether binding processing by staple less binding is performed using a manual operation or binding processing by staple less binding is performed for the sheet bundle having an image formed thereon. When binding processing by staple less binding is performed using a manual operation again for a sheet bundle having an area which is locally-deformed by a binding process, therefore, binding processing is inhibited from being performed again for the area which is locally-deformed by a binding process so that the sheet bundle can be bound with appropriate strength.

Further, in the present exemplary embodiment, determination whether the binding position is adjusted can be changed based on an instruction from the user. Therefore, the user can issue an instruction to determine whether the binding position is changed, as needed, depending on a condition of the sheet bundle on which manual binding is to be performed. Thus, manual binding intended by the user can be provided.

If the sensor 209 can acquire the rough number of sheets, the control unit 124 may automatically select the type of stapling depending on an output value of the sensor 209.

While a case where the staple binding unit 214a and the staple less binding unit 214b can respectively perform automatic binding and manual binding in the sheet processing apparatus 103 according to the present exemplary embodiment has been illustrated, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the sheet processing apparatus 103 may have a configuration in which the staple less binding unit 214b can perform both automatic binding and manual binding and the staple binding unit 214a can perform only automatic binding.

In the first exemplary embodiment, control to make the binding position differ depending on respective states of the position adjustment key when automatic binding is performed and when manual binding is performed.

In a second exemplary embodiment, when manual binding using no staples is used, a state of sheets to be bound is inquired of a user, to perform control as to whether a binding position is made to differ depending on an inquiry result.

In the second exemplary embodiment, a hardware configuration of a premised image forming apparatus 102 is similar to that in the first exemplary embodiment. Detailed description of the configuration similar to that in the first exemplary embodiment is not repeated.

FIG. 6B illustrates a binding position for a sheet bundle 403 in the present exemplary embodiment. A position 611 indicates a first binding position by staple less binding, and corresponds to the position 601 in the first exemplary embodiment. A position 612 indicates a second binding position by staple less binding, and corresponds to the position 602 in the first exemplary embodiment. A position 613 indicates a third binding position by staple less binding.

As described in the first exemplary embodiment, when manual binding using no staples is performed, if a portion that has already been crimped is crimped again, fibers among sheets are not easily entangled. Thus, binding strength is lowered. Therefore, a binding position is switched to a position 612 where binding strength is not affected by the original crimping.

When manual binding using no staples is performed, if staple less binding is performed in an area including a hole formed in each of the sheets by staples, binding strength may be affected. If the binding position is also switched to the position 612 in this case, binding processing with binding strength maintained can be performed.

On the other hand, information such as normal characters and pictures are printed on the sheet bundle 403. If binding processing is performed inside the sheets, therefore, a printing area where the characters and the pictures are printed and a binding position may overlap each other. An area where binding processing has been performed is deformed due to crimping. Thus, the printing area may be difficult to be read. Therefore, binding processing is desirably performed at a position that is as close to a normal stapling position as possible so that the printing area and the binding position do not overlap each other.

A position 610 illustrated in FIG. 6B indicates a predetermined binding position by staple less binding.

An effect of a hole formed by staples on fibers among sheets is smaller than an effect of a crimping portion formed by staple less binding on the fibers of the sheets, as indicated by the position 610. If original binding processing is performed with staples, therefore, binding processing can be performed in an area closer to an original binding position.

In the present exemplary embodiment, control to change the binding position to the third binding position closer to an original stapling position in addition to the change of the binding position in the first exemplary embodiment will be described.

FIGS. 11A and 11B respectively illustrate examples of screens displayed on a panel 301 in the image forming apparatus 102 when a manual binding function is used in the present exemplary embodiment. The screens illustrated in FIGS. 11A and 11B corresponds to the screen illustrated in FIG. 8 in the first exemplary embodiment.

A key 1103 is similar to the key 803 in the first exemplary embodiment, and is used when the user performs manual binding using staples. The key 1101 is touched when the user uses manual binding using no staples. A key 1104 is used when the manual binding function is ended to close the screen.

A CPU 111 in the image forming apparatus 102 displays the screen illustrated in FIG. 11B for performing detailed setting of manual binding using no staples on the panel 301 when the key 1101 is touched. Information 1105 is information for notifying the user that the screen is used for inquiring a state of a sheet bundle. Information 1109 is information for notifying the user that sheets are bound inside, and is displayed when a key 1107 or 1108 is selected.

A key 1106 is touched by the user when there is no area, which is locally-deformed, of the sheet bundle to be manually bound. The key 1107 is touched by the user when there is an area which is locally-deformed and which indicates that the sheet bundle to be manually bound has been bound with staples. The key 1108 is touched by the user when there is an area which is locally-deformed and which indicates that the sheet bundle to be manually bound has been bound by staple less binding.

Any one of the keys 1106 to 1108 is selectable. The user selects a state of the sheet bundle by touching any one of the keys.

The key 1110 is touched when the user performs manual binding using no staples. The CPU 111 notifies the sheet processing apparatus 103 of the selected state of the sheet bundle and an instruction to perform manual binding when a “start” key 1110 is touched. The sheet processing apparatus 103 determines a position where the sheet bundle is bound by manual binding using no staples according to the state of the sheet bundle, which has been notified from the CPU 111, to perform binding processing.

A control unit 124 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 determines a binding position based on a flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10 when stapling processing is performed as post-processing. Each of operations in the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10 is implemented when the control unit 124 in the sheet processing apparatus 103 and the CPU 111 in the image forming apparatus 102 cooperate with each other to perform control. The flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10 is executed when binding processing is performed for the sheet bundle on which printing is performed during execution of a print job and when the key for performing manual binding discussed in FIG. 11B is selected in a case where the manual binding mode is ON.

In step S1001, the control unit 124 determines whether the type of stapling to be performed is staple binding. If it is determined that the type of stapling is the staple binding (YES in step S1001), the processing proceeds to step S1002. If it is determined that the type of stapling is not the staple binding (NO in step S1001), the processing proceeds to step S1003. In step S1002, the control unit 124 controls the staple binding unit 214a, to perform binding processing by penetrating a sheet bundle with a staple at its predetermined position. On the other hand, in step S1003, the control unit 124 determines whether binding processing is manual binding. If the control unit 124 determines that a manual binding mode is ON (YES in step S1003), the processing proceeds to step S1005. If the control unit 124 determines that the manual binding mode is not ON (NO in step S1003), the processing proceeds to step S1004. In step S1005, the control unit 124 determines whether the sheet bundle has not been originally bound based on a state of the sheet bundle that has been notified from the CPU 111. If the control unit 124 determines that the sheet bundle has not been originally bound (YES in step S1005), the processing proceeds to step S1004. If the control unit 124 determines that the sheet bundle has been originally bound (NO in step S1005), the processing proceeds to step S1006.

In step S1104, the control unit 124 controls a motor 405, to move the staple less binding unit 214b to the first binding position 611, which is a position where binding processing is performed. Further, the control unit 124 controls the staple less binding unit 214b to pressurize the sheet bundle to perform binding processing.

On the other hand, in step S1006, the control unit 124 determines whether staple less binds have been removed from the sheet bundle based on a state of the sheet bundle that has been notified from the CPU 111. If the control unit 124 determines that staple less binds have been removed from the sheet bundle (YES in step S1006), the processing proceeds to step S1007. Otherwise (NO in step S1006), the processing proceeds to step S1008.

In step 51007, the control unit 124 controls the motor 405, to move the staple less binding unit 214b to the second binding position 612, which is a position where binding processing is performed. Further, the control unit 124 controls the staple less binding unit 214b to pressurize the sheet bundle to perform binding processing.

In step 51008, the control unit 124 controls the motor 405, to move the staple less binding unit 214b to the third binding position 613, which is a position where binding processing is performed. Further, the control unit 124 controls the staple less binding unit 214b to pressurize the sheet bundle to perform binding processing.

While the stapling position is controlled based on the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 10 in the present exemplary embodiment, the stapling position can also be controlled based on the flowchart illustrated in FIG. 9 in the first exemplary embodiment. In this case, the control unit 124 performs processes in step 5903 and the subsequent steps illustrated in FIG. 9 when it determines that an instruction to perform manual binding via the control unit 124 has been issued. Further, the control unit 10 performs processes in step S1003 and the subsequent steps illustrated in FIG. 10 when it determines that an instruction to perform manual binding via the screen illustrated in FIG. 11 has been issued.

As described above, according to the present exemplary embodiment, when manual binding is performed, the user is made to input a state of the sheet bundle to be manually bound in addition to processing of the first exemplary embodiment. Binding processing can be performed at any one of the first binding position 611, the second binding position 612, and the third binding position 613 depending on the state of the sheet bundle input by the user.

Manual stapling can be performed at a position where appropriate binding strength can be kept and a position where an area which is locally-deformed by a binding process does not overlap a printing area as much as possible depending on the state of the sheet bundle.

Another Exemplary Embodiment

While a case where the sheets are bound by entangling the fibers among the sheets has been illustrated as a system for binding a sheet bundle without using staples in the first and second exemplary embodiments, the present invention is not limited to this. The system may be a binding system having a common problem that binding strength is lowered depending on a state of a sheet bundle. Therefore, the present invention is also applicable to a system for cutting a hole in a sheet bundle and folding and binding the sheet bundle (e.g., a system discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-025499).

While the preferred exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been specifically described above, the present invention is not limited to the specific exemplary embodiments. Various modifications and alterations can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims.

According to the present invention, the binding position can be made to differ depending on whether binding processing is performed for the sheet bundle that is manually inserted or binding processing is performed for the sheet bundle having an image formed thereon. Even if the binding processing is performed using the manual operation again for a sheet bundle having an area which is locally-deformed by a binding process, therefore, the sheet bundle can be bound with appropriate strength.

Embodiments of the present invention can also be realized by a computer of a system or apparatus that reads out and executes computer executable instructions recorded on a storage medium (e.g., non-transitory computer-readable storage medium) to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s) of the present invention, and by a method performed by the computer of the system or apparatus by, for example, reading out and executing the computer executable instructions from the storage medium to perform the functions of one or more of the above-described embodiment(s). The computer may comprise one or more of a central processing unit (CPU), micro processing unit (MPU), or other circuitry, and may include a network of separate computers or separate computer processors. The computer executable instructions may be provided to the computer, for example, from a network or the storage medium. The storage medium may include, for example, one or more of a hard disk, a random-access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a storage of distributed computing systems, an optical disk (such as a compact disc (CD), digital versatile disc (DVD), or Blu-ray Disc (BD)™), a flash memory device, a memory card, and the like.

While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.

This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2014-249420, filed Dec. 9, 2014, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

PRINTING SYSTEM, CONTROL METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM

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