Claims
- 1. Apparatus for binding a book block and a cover to manufacture a perfect bound book and for trimming said perfect bound book to a predetermined size, said book block having a plurality of pages and ranging between a predetermined minimum and a predetermined maximum thickness, one edge of book block constituting a spine, said apparatus comprising a carriage movable along a work path, said carriage receiving said book block, said work path having an adhesive application station, a binding station, and a trimming station located therealong, said carriage being movable along said work path to said adhesive application station where a suitable adhesive is applied to said spine, said carriage then transporting said book block to said binding station where said cover is positioned such that said book block and said cover are positioned in predetermined positions with respect to one another, said binding station having a clamp that engages said cover proximate said spine and that forcefully compresses said cover onto said book block proximate said spine thereby to adhere said cover to said spine of book, said carriage further transporting said bound book to said trimming station, said trimming station having a nest for receiving said book from said carriage with said book being in a predetermined position with respect to said nest, said trimming station having a selectively operable trimming blade for trimming the margins said cover and of said book block, said nest and said trimming blade being movable with respect to one another so as to position said book with respect to said trimming blade such that upon actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount of said mar&gin along a first edge of said book is trimmed therefrom, said trimming station having a book indexer operable after said first edge has been trimmed so as to position a second edge of said book relative to said blade so that upon actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount may be trimmed from said second edge of said book, said indexer being operable after said second edge is trimmed so as to position a third edge of said book relative to said blade, said book and said trimming blade being movable relative to one another so that upon actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount of said margin along said third edge may be trimmed from said book so as to produce said book of said predetermined size.
- 2. Apparatus for binding a book block and a soft cover to manufacture a perfect bound book and for trimming said perfect bound book to a predetermined size, said book comprising a book block having a plurality of pages and a cover, said book block ranging between a minimum and a maximum number of pages, each said page being generally rectangular, one edge of said book block constituting a spine, said apparatus comprising a carriage movable along a work path, said carriage receiving said pages constituting said book block with said pages oriented such that a lowermost edge of said book block constitutes said spine, said carriage having a vertical wall against which a vertical edge of said book block bears thereby establishing a reference position for said book block with respect to said carriage, said work path having an adhesive application station, a clamping station, and a trimming station located therealong, said carriage transporting said book block to said adhesive application station where a suitable adhesive is applied to said spine, said carriage then transporting said book block to said clamping station where a cover for said book to be bound is positioned such that upon stopping of said carriage at said clamping station results in said book block and said cover being in a desired position with respect to one another, said clamping station having a clamp which engages said cover proximate said spine and forcefully compresses said cover onto said front and back faces of said book block proximate said spine thereby to adhere said cover to said book block, said carriage further transporting said bound book to said trimming station and placing said bound book in a predetermined position at said trimming station, said trimming station having a selectively actuable trimming blade for trimming predetermined amounts from said cover and said book block along one or more edges thereof, said trimming station and said blade being positionable with respect to one another such that actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount of the margin along a first edge is trimmed therefrom, said trimming station effecting turning of said book approximately 90° so that a second edge of said book is disposed toward said trimming blade said book and said trimming blade being positionable with respect to one another such that upon actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount of said book block and of said cover is trimmed from said second edge of the book, said trimming station effecting turning of said book approximately 90° so that a third edge of said book is disposed toward said trimming blade such that upon actuation of said trimming blade a predetermined amount of said book block and of said cover is trimmed from said third edge of the book, whereby a perfect bound book is produced trimmed along three edges of the book and with the book being of a predetermined size.
- 3. Apparatus for binding a perfect bound book and for trimming at least two sides of said book, the latter comprising a generally rectangular book block having a multiplicity of pages with the book block ranging between a minimum predetermined thickness and a maximum predetermined thickness, said book block having a front face, a back face and a spine along one of the edges of the book block, a cover having a front and back and a center section therebetween, said cover being sized relative to said book block such that the front and back of the cover overlies the front and back faces of said book block and such that said center section extends around said spine, said book block and said cover being dimensioned such that portions of said cover and of said book block are to be trimmed along one or more edges of said book thereby to result in a finished book having a predetermined rectangular size, said apparatus comprising:a carriage for holding a book block to be bound in a cover, said carriage being movable along a work path between a plurality of work stations; a programmable control system for controlling operation of said carriage and of said work stations along said work path, said carriage establishing a reference position for said book block carried thereby with said reference position being known to said control system; an adhesive application station along said work path at which an adhesive suitable for bonding said cover to said spine of said book block is applied; a clamping station along said work path at which said book block carried by said carriage and one of said covers are positioned in predetermined relation to one another, said control system effecting operation of a clamp so as to firmly clamp said cover to said book block proximate said spine such that the front and back of said cover overlies the front and back faces of said book block and such that the center section of the cover is substantially in register with said spine of said book block with said adhesive disposed between said spine and said center section of said cover thereby to bind said cover to said book block and thereby to form a bound book; said bound book having margins along at least two edges thereof to be trimmed thereby to form said finished book with the amount of said margins to be trimmed being known to said control system; and a trimming station which receives said bound book, said trimming station having a nest for receiving said book from said carriage with the position of the book in the nest being known to said control system, said trimming station having a trimming blade movable under the control of said control system relative to said book between a retracted position in which an edge of said book to be trimmed can be positioned relative to said blade and a trimming position in which said blade may be actuated to trim a predetermined amount of said margin known to said control system from said one edge of said book, said control system effecting the positioning of said book relative to said blade so that upon actuation of said blade a predetermined amount of said margin along a second edge of said book known to said control system is trimmed from along said second edge.
- 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein, after trimming of said second edge of said book, said control system effecting the positioning of said book so that a third edge of said book is positioned relative to said trimming blade so that upon movement of said trimming blade from its retracted to its trimming position a predetermined amount of the margin along said third edge is trimmed from said third edge of said book.
- 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, 2, or 3 further comprising a jogging station along said work path, said jogging station vibrating said pages of said book block so as to substantially align the pages relative to one another.
- 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1, 2, or 3 further comprising a milling station along said work path where at said milling station said spine is conditioned to facilitate the adhesive binding of the pages to the cover in the area of said spine.
- 7. Apparatus as set forth in claims 1 or 2 wherein said adhesive is a heat activatable adhesive, and wherein said binding station includes an ultrasonic horn engageable with the exterior surface of said center portion of said cover for activating said adhesive to thereby effect binding of said cover to said book block.
- 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 or 2 further comprising a controller for effecting movement of said carriage along said work path from one station to another therealong and for effecting operation of said adhesive application station, said binding or clamping station, and said trimming station.
- 9. Apparatus for binding a book block and a cover to manufacture a perfect bound book and for trimming said perfect bound book to a predetermined size, said book block having a plurality of pages and ranging between a minimum and a maximum number of pages, one edge of book block constituting a spine, said apparatus comprising:a programmable control system for controlling said apparatus, said programmable control system receiving information relating to the size of the book to be bound and controlling operation of said apparatus so as to bind said book block and cover to form a bound book and to trim predetermined amounts from the margins from said bound book to produce said book of said predetermined size; a carriage under the control of said control system movable along a work path, said carriage receiving said book block with said with said book block being in a reference position relative to said carriage known to said control system; said work path having an adhesive application station, a clamping station and a trimming station located therealong; said control system initiating movement of said carriage along said work path past said adhesive application station where a suitable adhesive is applied so as to be between said spine and said cover upon binding of the cover to said book block; at said clamping station, said control system positioning said cover and said book block in predetermined relation, said clamping station having clamping members disposed on opposite sides of said book block and engageable with said cover proximate said spine so as to forcefully compress said cover onto said book block proximate said spine thereby to adhere said cover to said spine so as to form a bound book; said control system then effecting movement of said carriage along said work path so as to transport said bound book to said trimming station, said bound book have excess margins known to said control system, the latter effecting operation of a selectively actuable trimming blade at said trimming station for trimming said excess margins so as to produce said bound book of said predetermined size.
- 10. Apparatus for binding a book block and a soft cover to manufacture a perfect bound book and for trimming said perfect bound book to a predetermined size, said book comprising a book block having a plurality of pages and a cover, said book block ranging between a predetermined minimum and a predetermined maximum thickness, one edge of book block constituting a spine, said apparatus comprising:a carriage movable along a work path, said carriage receiving said book block with said pages oriented in a vertical plane; said work path having an adhesive application station, a binding station, and a trimming station located therealong; said carriage being movable along said work path to said adhesive application station where a suitable adhesive is applied to said spine of said book block; said carriage then transporting said book block to said binding station where said cover for said book is positioned such that upon stopping of said carriage at said binding station said spine of said book block is positioned substantially in register with said cover; said binding station having a clamp that engages said cover proximate said spine and that forcefully compresses said cover onto said front and back faces of said book block proximate said spine thereby to adhere said cover to said spine of said book block; said carriage further transporting said bound book to said trimming station, said carriage placing said book in said trimming station at a predetermined position, said trimming station having a selective operable trimming blade for trimming predetermined amounts of said cover and of said book block along first, second, and third edges thereof, said trimming station having a book indexer for rotating said book so as to present said second edge and then said third edge of said book toward said trimming blade after said first edge has been trimmed, said book and said trimming blade being adjustably movable relative to one another in response to said predetermined size of said book so as to position the trimming blade with respect to the first, second, and third edges of the book so that said predetermined amounts of said cover and of said book block may be trimmed therefrom such that said book of said predetermined size will be produced.
- 11. A method of manufacturing a perfect bound book wherein a book block is bound to a cover and predetermined amounts of said cover and of said book block are trimmed from along first, second and/or third edges of said book to as to produce a book of a predetermined size, said book block having a plurality of pages, said method comprising the steps of:(a) moving said book block along a work path from an adhesive application station, to a binding station, and thence to a trimming station; (b) knowing the position of said book block as the latter is moved along said work path; (c) with said book block at said adhesive application station, depositing adhesive so as to be disposed between one edge of said book block and said cover, said one edge constituting the spine of said book block; (d) with said book block at said binding station, clamping said cover onto said book block proximate said spine and effecting an adhesive bond between said cover and said spine of said book block; (e) positioning said book in a predetermined position within said trimming station; and (f) trimming a predetermined amount from the margin of said book along a first edge thereof, (1) then turning said book and trimming a predetermined amount from the margin of said book along a second edge thereof, and (2) then turning said book and trimming a predetermined amount from the margin of said book along a third edge thereof so as to produce a bound book trimmed along three edges to said predetermined size.
- 12. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said adhesive is a heat activatable adhesive, and wherein said binding station includes an ultrasonic horn, said step of effecting adhesive bonding between said spine of said book block and said cover is effected by bringing said ultrasonic horn in working engagement with the outer surface of the portion of said cover proximate said spine and rendering said ultrasonic horn resonant thereby to transmit ultrasonic energy to said adhesive so as to at least partially melt said adhesive and to thereby effect said adhesive bonding between said spine and said cover.
- 13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said trimming station has a nest for receiving said book from said carriage, said carriage positioning said book in said nest in a position known to said control system, said trimming station having a book indexer under the control of said control system for rotating said book after a first edges has been trimmed so as to dispose said second edge of said book toward said blade, said control system effecting the positioning said second edge of said book and said blade relative to one another so that upon actuation of said blade a predetermined amount of said margin along said second edge is trimmed from the book.
- 14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said indexer under the control of said control system rotates said book so as dispose a third edge of said book toward said blade, said control system effecting the positioning of said second edge of said book and said blade relative to one another so that upon actuation of said blade a predetermined amount of said margin along said third edge is trimmed from said book.
- 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said adhesive application station applies a heat activatable adhesive, and wherein said binding station includes an ultrasonic tool operatively engageable with the exterior of the cover along the spine such that when said ultrasonic tool is rendered resonant, ultrasonic energy is transmitted through said cover and activates said adhesive thereby bind said cover to said book block.
- 16. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further including a jogging station along said work path prior to said adhesive application station, whereby at said jogging station the pages of said book block are loosely held by said carriage, said jogging station vibrationally moving the pages of said book block generally into register with one another.
- 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said jogging station positions said pages of said book block in said reference position.
- 18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further including a milling station along said work path, said milling station preparing the spine of said book block for receiving said adhesive.
- 19. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said trimming station has a clamp for holding said book while said edges are trimmed, said carriage, under the control of said control system, positioning said book in said trimming station clamp so that said book is in a predetermined position at said trimming station so as to trim said predetermined amounts of said excess margins from said cover and from said book block.
- 20. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said step of trimming said predetermined amounts from the margins utilizes a trimming blade, and wherein said method further comprises positioning said book relative to said trimming blade so as to trim said predetermined amounts from the margins of said book.
- 21. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein said trimming step uses a trimming blade assembly having an opening for said book, and wherein said step of trimming said predetermined amounts of said margins from said book includes guiding the pages of said book block and said cover into said trimming blade opening and maintaining said book block and said cover within said trimming blade opening as said book is turned to trim said margins.
- 22. A method of manufacturing a bound book wherein a book block is bound to a cover and wherein predetermined amounts of said cover and of said book block are trimmed from along first, second and third edges of said book to as to produce a finished book of a predetermined size, said book block having a plurality of pages, said method comprising the steps of:a. establishing a reference position of said book block known to a computer control system; b. under the control of said computer control system, effecting movement of said book block along a work path having an adhesive application station, a binding station, and a trimming station therealong; c. wherein with said book block at said adhesive application station, applying adhesive so as to be disposed between one edge of said book block and said cover, said one edge constituting the spine of said book block; d. under the control of said computer control system, at said binding station, positioning said book block with respect to said cover such that said book block and said cover are positioned with respect to one another in a predetermined position known to said computer control system; e. wherein at said binding station, clamping said cover onto said book block proximate said spine and effecting an adhesive bond between said cover and said spine of said book block such that said spine is adhesively bound to said cover and such that the pages of said book block are adhesively bound to one another proximate said spine; f. wherein upon the binding of the book, said book having excess margins along three edges thereof to be trimmed from said book, said computer control system knowing the amount of said margins to be trimmed from each edge of said book; and g. wherein with said book at said trimming station, under the control of said computer control system, effecting trimming of said excess margin along a first edge of said book, i. then turning said book and trimming said excess margin along a second edge of said book, and ii. then turning said book and trimming said excess margin along a third edge thereof so as to produce said finished book of said predetermined size.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
Not applicable
US Referenced Citations (65)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
0390734 |
Aug 1990 |
EP |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Challenge DocuTrim, The Challenge Machinery Company, 1995, 4 pages, ADV-032C/0396/2.5M/CSP/960026. |