EP1017565B1 - Machine pour la fabrication et la distribution de livres - Google Patents

Machine pour la fabrication et la distribution de livres Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1017565B1
EP1017565B1 EP99931433A EP99931433A EP1017565B1 EP 1017565 B1 EP1017565 B1 EP 1017565B1 EP 99931433 A EP99931433 A EP 99931433A EP 99931433 A EP99931433 A EP 99931433A EP 1017565 B1 EP1017565 B1 EP 1017565B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cover
book
text
print engine
printing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP99931433A
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German (de)
English (en)
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EP1017565A4 (fr
EP1017565A1 (fr
Inventor
Aharon Korem
Zvi Zagagi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
HP Scitex Ltd
Original Assignee
Aprion Digital Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
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Publication of EP1017565A1 publication Critical patent/EP1017565A1/fr
Publication of EP1017565A4 publication Critical patent/EP1017565A4/fr
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Publication of EP1017565B1 publication Critical patent/EP1017565B1/fr
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/16—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G07—CHECKING-DEVICES
    • G07F—COIN-FREED OR LIKE APPARATUS
    • G07F17/00—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services
    • G07F17/26—Coin-freed apparatus for hiring articles; Coin-freed facilities or services for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to vending machines in particular to vending machines for making and supplying books.
  • the invention is particularly useful when embodied in the form of a vending machine for making "books on demand”, and is therefore described below with respect to such apparatus.
  • a number of machines have been designed for printing books in a digital manner "on demand", such as "Docutech 6180" manufactured by Xerox, "Demand Stream” manufactured by OCE and the “Infoprint” manufactured by IBM, .
  • the known machines of this type are not efficient for printing pocket and paperback books of small format or in individual copies.
  • they are generally very expensive and not practical for implementation as vending machines which print and bind books in-situ and immediately following the user's request..
  • WO-A-96/24104 discloses a method of producing a predetermined continuous sequence of copies of newspapers or magazines.
  • the pages of the printed product are printed on both sides of a paper web, furthermore including folding and separating steps.
  • the method may use a vending machine from which the printed product is ordered and paid for by the user.
  • WO-A-96/23665 also discloses a method for producing newspapers and magazines or other Leporello- shaped printed products.
  • a machine having a computer, a printing device, and a separating device is disclosed.
  • the unique data may be selected to produce individualised products.
  • First and second sequences of data are printed on opposing sides of a continuous web. The web is then folded in alternate direction and separated.
  • An object of the present invention is to provide a vending machine for printing and supplying books having advantages in one or more of the above respects.
  • a further object of the present invention is to provide book making apparatus which can be practically implemented as a vending machine for printing and binding books on demand and supplying them in real time.
  • the invention provides a vending machine for making and supplying books on request and in real time comprising, a computer data storage device for storing a plurality of book titles, each including the text and image information, the cover information, and other identification data; an operating panel including a display for displaying the identification information of the book titles stored in said data storage device, and the user's interface enabling a user to select one of said stored book titles for printing; and a book making apparatus, said book making apparatus comprising, a printing apparatus for printing text and image information and cover information associated with said selected book title; and a binding apparatus for binding the output from said printing apparatus into book form for the selected book title.
  • the book making apparatus comprises, a text and image print engine for printing the text and image information of said selected book title on a plurality of pages; a cover print engine for printing the cover information of said selected book title on front and back covers material; a collator to collate the printed pages and the front and back covers of the book selected by the user; a binder for binding the printed pages and covers collated by said collator; and a controller for extracting from said storage device a book title selected by the user, and for controlling said text and images to be printed, said cover information to be printed, said collator, and said binder, thereby to print and bind the book selected by the user.
  • the operating panel includes a payment device to be used by the user for paying for the selected book, and a discharge device for discharging the selected book after having being printed by the text/image and color print engines and bound by the binder.
  • the payment device in the operating panel includes a credit card reader.
  • the operating panel further includes a diskettes reader for the insertion by the user of a diskette containing book information, to be printed and bound .
  • the book file information in the data storage device could be in the form of a plurality of CD-ROMs.
  • a CD-ROM or diskette can also be used by the user who inserts the information media carrier (such as a CD-ROM or diskette) in the slot reader driver for automatic reading, printing and binding, of the book title.
  • a remote device can be used to download book file information to the data storage device.
  • paper storage and feeding, the operating panel, text and image printing engine, cover printing engine, collator and binder and all other components are all housed and operates in a fully automatic, on line process, under a common housing.
  • the storage device for storing the plurality of book titles is also preferably housed within the common housing, but could be located at a remote location and are connected by communication lines to the apparatus in Common housing.
  • book making apparatus constructed in accordance with the foregoing features is practically implemented in the form of a vending machine located at publicly-accessible locations for printing books "by request".
  • the book title information can be stored in digital form in a highly efficient and compact manner such as CD-ROMs or Hard Disk permitting quick and efficient retrieval for printing and landing a book as or when requested a user.
  • New book titles can be added in a simple manner, and old book titles that cease to be saleable can be removed from the storage device.
  • title information Since the book title information, are stored in a compact digital way, such as a CD-ROM or hard disk, title information can be kept in several different languages for printing a language to the customer's requirements.
  • Fig. 1 is an isometric illustration of a vending machine, generally designated 1, constructed and operative in accordance with the present invention.
  • the vending machine contains book making apparatus, schematically illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, which prints and binds books according to a selection or request made by a customer, for "immediate" delivery to the customer.
  • FIG. 2C A sample of a typical book prepared by the book making apparatus is illustrated in Fig. 2C.
  • the book includes printed front and back covers 90F and 90B, respectively, enclosing a plurality of duplex printed pages, generally referenced 81, each side of a printed page referenced 51A and 51B.
  • the printed pages 81 and front and back covers 90F and 90B, respectively, are collated and bound together and then glued together (glue shown by reference numeral 149).
  • the book back up spine tape 143 is applied to produce the finished book.
  • the vending machine further comprises an operating and display panel, generally referenced 2, which includes a display screen 21 for displaying information related to the books and their printing, a credit card slot 22 for insertion of the customer's credit card, a slot 23 enabling the customer to insert a CD ROM or similar containing book title digital information which can be printed in the same manner as a selected one of the book titles stored within the machine itself and an outlet 13 for receiving the bound finished book 15.
  • an operating and display panel generally referenced 2 which includes a display screen 21 for displaying information related to the books and their printing, a credit card slot 22 for insertion of the customer's credit card, a slot 23 enabling the customer to insert a CD ROM or similar containing book title digital information which can be printed in the same manner as a selected one of the book titles stored within the machine itself and an outlet 13 for receiving the bound finished book 15.
  • Vending machine 1 (Fig. 1.) also includes a second display screen 24 which may be used for simultaneously displaying sample pages and other information related to a book, for example, and a hard copy sample display panel 25 for visual display of the book titles available from the machine.
  • Figs. 2A and 2B diagramatically illustrates the main components of a book printing apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention,.
  • the book printing apparatus illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B, includes an operating panel 2, a printing control unit (PCU) 3, more particularly illustrated in Fig. 3; a systems control unit (SCU) 4, more particularly illustrated in Fig. 4; a paper web feeding unit 5, more particularly illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6; a text and image printing unit 6 for printing the pages of the book, more particularly illustrated in Fig. 7 and 7A; and a collation of printing pages and related functions unit 7, 11 and 12 (Fig. 2A) more particularly illustrated in Figs. 8, 11A - 11D and 12A - 12C.
  • the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B further includes a cover material feeder 9 upstream of a cover color print engine assembly 10, and another cover feeder 11 downstream of assembly 10, as more particularly illustrated in Figs. 9, 10, 10A and 11a-11d, respectively.
  • the printed sheets of text, and the printed covers are fed to a collator and binder unit 12, more particularly illustrated in Figs. 12a-12d and 13-13a, respectively, for collating and binding the printed sheets of text and the front and back covers, to produce the complete bound book 15 which is fed to a delivery chute 13 of the vending machine.
  • the printing control unit 3 includes a storage device for storing a plurality of book titles information, in the form of CD-ROMs or hard disk, for example, each file including the text and graphic information, cover information, and identification information of the respective books.
  • the operating panel 2 enables the user (a purchaser) to display the identification information of the stored book titles, and to select one of them for printing out in the form of a complete book 15 constituted of a plurality of pages having the text and images thereon, bound between front and back covers having cover information printed thereon.
  • the payment may be by the insertion of a credit card.
  • the machine When the credit has been approved and the selection made, the machine then automatically prints the text and image on a plurality of pages, and simultaneously also prints the information in color to appear on the front and back covers, and feeds both the printed text/image pages and printed covers to the collator 12 for collation and binding.
  • the completely bound book 15 is then delivered through the delivery chute 13.
  • Operating panel 2 includes monitors or displays 21 and 24 for displaying the identification information of the book title stored in the printing control unit 3.
  • Operating panel 2 further includes an users' interface enabling the user to select one of the stored book titles for printing.
  • the interface includes a touch-screen over display panels 21 and 24.
  • Other interfaces may be provided, for example a keyboard having depressible keys.
  • the operating panel 2 further includes a credit card slot 22 for insertion of the users credit card to enable operation of the machine for ordering one or more of the books included in the book data storage of the print engine control unit.
  • Operating panel 2 includes a further slot 23 enabling the user to insert an information media carrier, such as a CD-ROM containing personal book title data carrier containing book file information, which can be ordered and printed in the same manner as a selected one of the book titles stored within the machine itself.
  • the print engine control unit 3 includes a data storage device 31 for storing the plurality of book title information, e.g. in the form of CD-ROMs or other digital media as indicated earlier, each book title includes the text and image, cover and identification information of the respective book selectable by the user for printing.
  • the text and image digital data information is fed to the text and image engine, as shown schematically by line 32 in Fig. 3; whereas the cover digital data information is fed to the printing system for printing the covers, as shown schematically by line 33 in Fig. 3.
  • Printing control unit 3 illustrated in Fig. 3 further includes a mother board 34 and a plurality of printer control boards 35 mounted thereon, for controlling the data flow operations of the two print engine assemblies.
  • the systems control unit (SCU) 4 includes the electronic control for the various drives, as will be described more particularly below. It also includes a mother board 41, the system electronics 42, and a plurality of system driver and control cards 43.
  • the text and image is printed on a plurality of pages supplied from a paper web and cut into sheet form; whereas the covers information is printed on pre-cut covers fed from a supply bin.
  • Figs. 7-7A illustrate the manner in which the text/image is printed on the pages; whereas Figs. 10 and 10A illustrate the manner in which the cover information is printed on a front and back covers.
  • the paper supply includes four rolls 50a-50d, each capable of holding a considerable length of a paper web 51. Only one paper roll 50a-50d is active at any one time, and as soon as its paper web approaches depletion, another paper web is actuated in order to maintain a continuous supply of paper until all the web rolls are exhausted.
  • the paper roll is loaded and moved by any suitable movement means, such as motors, conveyors, rollers and servo-mechanisms, known in the art.
  • the supply of paper on the respective roll is sensed by a feeler arm 52 pivotally mounted at one end 53 and including a roller 54 engageable with the outer surface of the paper web on the respective roll.
  • the pivotal mounted end 53 of the feeler arm 52 is coupled to a rotary encoder 55 which senses the angular position of the respective feeler arm 52 and thereby the supply of paper on the respective roll.
  • the paper web 51 payed out of its respective roll is past over a deflection roller 56 (Fig. 6) to a guide assembly for the respective roll.
  • a deflection roller 56 (Fig. 6) to a guide assembly for the respective roll.
  • each guide assembly includes a fixed guide element 57 and a pivotal guide element 58 pivotal towards the fixed guide element by a leaf spring 59.
  • the fixed guide element 57 carries a driven pinch roller 60 aligned with another pinch roller 61 carried by the pivotal guide element 58, so as to drive the paper web 51 between the two.
  • a separate deflection roller 56 and guide device 57-61 is provided for each of the four supply rolls 50.
  • the paper feeder further includes an exit guide device constituted of four guide elements 62A-62D spaced below the guide elements for the four paper rolls.
  • the guide elements 62A-62D serve as an exit guiding device for driving and guiding the paper web of the active roll 50 to the text and image engine assembly 7 illustrated in Fig. 7.
  • An indexing guiding device is interposed between the four guiding devices, for the four rolls 50, and the common exit guiding device of guiding element 62A-62D.
  • the indexing guiding device also includes a fixed guiding element 64, and a pivotal guiding element 65 pivotal towards the fixed guiding element by a panel spring 66.
  • the two guiding elements 64, 65 are carried by an indexing plate 67 which is pivotally mounted to index its two guiding elements 64, 65 in alignment with the guiding elements 57 and 58 of the active paper roll 50, and the exit guiding device of elements 62A-62D.
  • Indexing plate 67 is pivotal to a selected position by a pulley assembly 68 driven by a motor 69 under the control of the systems controller to align the two indexible guiding plates 64, 65 with the guiding device 57-58 of the roll which is active at any particular time to pay out the paper web.
  • the four paper supply rolls 50, and their deflection rollers 56 are arrayed in the form of a arc over the indexer guide 64, 65, such that the indexer guide may be pivotally mounted to align any one of the roller guiding devices with the exit guiding device, elements 62A-62D, according to the roll which is active.
  • the two guiding elements 57, 58 alternate in length with respect to the four rolls 50.
  • the guiding elements for rolls 50c are long, those for the next roll 50a are short, those for the next roll 50b are long, and those for the next roll 50d are short.
  • Such an arrangement minimizes the space occupied by the rolls and their respective guiding elements, thereby providing a compact structure for holding a large supply of paper to be used for printing a large amount of pages.
  • Fig. 7 more particularly illustrates the print engine 6 of Fig. 2A for printing the text/image of the book.
  • This print engine is an ink-jet printer of the duplex type, i.e. printing on both sides of the paper web 51.
  • the paper web 51 enters the print engine assembly from the right side via a guide plate 70 and 71 and is driven by rollers 72 onto the upper surface of a horizontal, closed-loop conveyor belt 73a driven by a pair of pulleys 74a in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 7.
  • a print engine unit 75a is located above the upper surface of conveyor belt 73a so as to print the text/image information on the upper face of the paper web 51 as it is driven under the print engine unit.
  • Print engine unit 75a may be a seven ink-jet module, each with its own drivers, as described for example in Patent No. EP 0640481 B1 assigned to the same assignee as the present application. For clarity, the ink-jet modules control and ink reservoirs are not shown in the figures. If desired, a dryer unit 76a such as an IR (infra red) or UV (ultra-violet) radiation unit may be used at the outlet end of the print engine unit 75a.
  • IR infra red
  • UV ultra-violet
  • a second print engine head 75b is located to print on the opposite side of the paper web as it leaves the closed-loop conveyor belt 73a and is received on the close-loop conveyor belt 73b underlying conveyor belt 73a.
  • the paper web is inverted as it is fed to the underlying conveyor belt 73b so that it can be printed upon.
  • a separate dryer 76b may also be provided for drying the ink applied by print engine unit 75b.
  • the print head 75B (75A is similar) is illustrated in-blown up detail in Fig. 7. Briefly, the print heads 162 eject droplets 164 of ink on to web 51 being carried by loop conveyor belt 73B forming the printed web 51B.
  • printed web 51A is printed using print head 75A and carried by conveyer 73A.
  • the paper web may be secured and moved with the conveyor belt in any suitable manner, such as by vacuum (not shown) or other similar techniques known in the art.
  • Fig. 8 which is a continuation upstream of the text and image engine assembly, illustrates the manner of handling the paper web 51 after it has been printed on both sides (referenced 51A and 51B) with the text and image information.
  • the paper web 51 passes via guide 89 through a pair pinch rolls 79 and continuous via pinch rollers, 82, over a cutter table generally referenced 83 on which is mounted a cylinder 84 having a cutter blade 85 extending longitudinally of the cylinder, so as to be transverse of the paper web 51.
  • the cylinder 84 is located at the appropriate speed with respect to the feed of the paper web 51 so that the cutter blade 85 slits the paper at the proper locations to produce the separate printed sheets 81. These sheets are removed via an inclined chute 86, to a collecting bin 7 and fed to the collating and binding unit 12 of Fig. 2A as described more particularly below with respect to Figs. 12 and 13.
  • Fig. 7A illustrates a variation wherein the cutter is located upstream of the print engine heads, rather than downstream as illustrated in Fig. 7.
  • the guiding plate 91 for guiding the paper web 51 into the first print engine head 75a includes a cylinder 92 formed with a cutter blade 93 extending longitudinally of its cylinder 92, and therefore transversely of the paper web, similar to cylinder 84 and cutter blade 85 in Fig. 8, so that the cutter blade slits the paper web into the appropriate size sheets 81a before the paper sheets are fed by the conveyor belt under the first print engine head 75a.
  • the conveyor belt is provided with a plurality of guide rollers 47 to guide the individual sheets via guiding plate 77A to the underlying conveyor belt for printing on the opposite side by the second printing head 75b.
  • the construction illustrated in Fig. 7A is the same as described above with respect to Fig. 7.
  • Figs. 9-11 illustrate the covers print engine system for printing the cover information of the selected book on the front and back covers.
  • the pre-printed covers are pre-cut and supplied from a bin 91.
  • the bin includes a lift plate 92 on which the covers 90 are stacked and are fed from the top by a motorized drive roller 93 carried by a pivotal arm 94 so as to be in engagement with the top cover of the stack.
  • the lifting mechanism includes a motor 95 driving a screw 96 via a gear train 97, which screw is steadily received within a nut 98 fixed to bin 91, so that rotation of Motor 95 in one direction raises lifting plate 92, and rotating it in the opposite direction lowers the lifting plate.
  • Motor 95 is controlled in synchronism with drive rotor 93 to raise the lifting plate 92 one increment as the drive roller drives the top most cover via guide 99 to the covers printing unit 10 of Fig. 2A, more particularly illustrated in Figs. 10A.
  • the printing of the covers information is preferably by the "thermal transfer” technique, in which a transfer is effected of the color from a color transfer ribbon.
  • the thermal transfer” technique is known in the art and described for example, in “Hard Copy and Printing Technology” by Ken-Chi Shimmed, published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 1252 1996.
  • the pre-printed covers 90 are individually fed via guide 99 onto a closed-loop conveyor belt 100 driven by a pair of pulleys 101 so as to be transported under four thermal transfer print heads 102a-102d, in succession.
  • Each print head includes a color pigment-carrying ribbon 103 fed from a supply reel 104 and then pass print heads 102A-12D to a surplus reel 106.
  • the print heads 102a-102d are digitally controlled to produce hot points which cause a minute point of the color pigment from the respective color pigment carrying ribbon 103 to transfer to the cover 90.
  • the four print heads 102a-102d print, in this manner, four process colors C, M, Y, K (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black), although additional printing heads and special colors, such as metallic colors, are possible.
  • Both the front cover 90F and back cover 90B are printed on one face of the cover material by the print heads 102A-102D. As best seen in the detail of Fig. 10A, the covers, both front 90B and back 90F, are carried along the conveyor 100 to feeder unit 11.
  • the feeder unit 11 in Fig. 10A includes an inverter device 111 which inverts one of the covers, namely the front cover, so that its printed surface faces downwardly at the time the cover is fed to the collator and binder (7 and 12).
  • the cover feeder unit 11 of Fig. 10A and the various stages in its operation, are illustrated in Figs. 11a-11d.
  • the conveyor belt 109 conveys the covers 90 from the printing heads 102a-102d (Fig. 10) to another conveyor belt 110 leading to the collator and binder unit 12 (Fig. 12).
  • An inverter mechanism 111 is provided at the transfer point between the conveyor belts 109, 110.
  • Inverter mechanism 111 is of a box-like construction rotatable 180° about its axis 112 by means of a motor 113.
  • a front cover 99F When a front cover 99F is to be transferred from conveyer belt 100 to conveyer belt 110, the latter being located slightly below conveyer belt 100, the front cover 90Fis received by the inverter mechanism 111 and actuates a sensor (not shown) which energizes its motor 113 to rotate the inverter 180°, as shown in Figs. 11b and 11c, to thereby invert the front cover 90F so that its printed side faces downwardly as it is received on conveyor belt 110.
  • the inverter mechanism 111 serves as a guide for directing the succeeding back cover 90B onto the conveyer belt 110 with its printed side facing upwardly, as shown in Fig. 11d.
  • the collator and binder unit 12 receives both the printed pages from the ink-jet duplex print engine 6 and also the printed covers as printed by the color printing unit 10 and fed by the feeding unit 11.
  • Figs. 12A-12C illustrate the manner in which the printed pages and the two covers are collated in unit 12; and Figs. 13A-13C illustrate the grinding gluing, and insertion of the book spine backing tape 143 and gluing of the spine to bind the pages and covers into a complete book.
  • the glue referenced 149 is best seen in Fig. 2C.
  • the collator includes a collator frame 130 pivotal about an axis 131.
  • frame 130 is inclined at an angle optimal to receive the printed pages 81 at approximately 30° angle as shown in Fig. 12A.
  • the two sided printed pages 81 moved via chute 86 of the printing unit 6 are sequentially received on the fork 132 to form a stack, with the first page of the book being received first and facing downwardly.
  • the front cover 90F is fed from conveyer belt 110 under the fork 132 carrying the stack of sheets 81 or 81a (Fig. 12B), , the front cover 90F, which has been inverted so that its printed side faces downwardly as described above with respect to Figs. 11a-11d, can be inserted at any time during the printing of the sheets 81 or 81a and does not have to wait until all sheets are printed.
  • the fork 132 is then removed, to permit the front cover 90F and the stack of printed sheets thereon to rest against the bottom plate of the collator frame 130, and then the back cover 90B is fed to the upper side of the stack of sheets 81 its printed side facing upwardly, as shown in Fig. 12C.
  • a clamping plate 133 is driven into firm contact with the back cover 90b by means of a clamp screw 134 driven by an electric motor 135 via a gear and pulley 136. Clamping plate 133 thus firmly presses the printed pages 81 or 81a of the book and the two covers 90F, 90B firmly against the bottom plate of the collator frame 130.
  • a glue applicator 140 transfers glue 149 from a container 141 to the spine of the book.
  • the glue 149 may be of the cold type, or hot-melt type. In the latter case, container 141 would be provided with a heater 142 for heating the glue.
  • the binding is effective by a back-up tape 143 which is applied by rollers 144, and two side rollers 145.
  • the spine of the book Before the book spine is coated with an adhesive, the spine of the book may be roughened by a rotating cutter, as shown at 146 in Fig. 13A. This roughening may generate dust, and therefore a dust collecting system 147 may be provided for this purpose.
  • a hot glue system is used for binding the book, as shown in Fig. 13B, such a system should be equipped with a fumes exhauster (not shown).
  • the binding is by adhesive tape, as shown in Fig. 13C, the adhesive tape is preferably heat-activated, and the back and side rollers 144, 145 are preferably spring-loaded and heated..
  • Fig. 14 is a block diagram illustrating the data and management system controller units 4, shown in Figs. 3 and 4 which control the overall operation of the machine.
  • the storage device therein designated 31 stores a plurality of book title information in the form of CD-ROMs, with each book title including the text/image, cover information, and identification information of the respective books.
  • the controller 35 includes a program manager 202 and an operation user interface 205.
  • the program manager 202 identifies the data location and directs the text/image information of the respective book title to a page printing raster image processor (RIP) 204, and the covers information to a cover RIP 206 which converts the information to a bit map format.
  • RIP page printing raster image processor
  • the text information is black-and-white, whereas the covers information is multi-colored.
  • the text/image and covers may, however, be printed in any combination of color and black and white.
  • the text/image information is printed on the paper web (or sheets) by the duplex print engine 6, as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 7: whereas the cover information is printed on the front and back covers by the color print engine unit 10, as more particularly illustrated in Fig. 10.
  • system controller 42 includes the electronics and print engine drivers 43, shown by box 4 in Fig. 4 for controlling the text/image pages print engine unit 6, the cover print engine unit 10, and the collator and binder units 7, 11 and 12, and to print and bind the book selected by the user, as well as other motors or actuators.
  • Fig. 15 is a flow chart illustration of the operation of the book making and supply vending machine 1.
  • a customer wishing to order a particular book title, orders the book title from the list of title available (step 302).
  • the available book titles are shown on a display panel 25 (Fig. 1).
  • the ordered book title is then located in the data storage device 31 and the respective data file containing all the book title information is extracted (step 304).
  • the print cycle then commences (step 306).
  • the pages of the book are printed on both sides of the page, as described hereinabove with reference to Figs. 7-7A (step 308) and the printed pages are stored in the page collect bin of the collating unit 7, 11 and 12 (step 310).
  • the printing of the covers takes place (step 312), as follows: Firstly, the front cover 90F is printed (step 314). The front cover 90F is then rotated (step 316) and inserted below the printed pages being collected by the collating unit 12. When printing of the pages has been finished, the back cover 90B is then printed and inserted on top of the printed pages in the collating unit 12 (step 318).
  • step 320 the book making process of collation (step 320) and binding (step 322) take place.
  • the complete book is ejected for receipt by the waiting customer (step 324).
  • the total time required to make the book on being ordered depends on the total number of pages within the book, but the process is relatively quick, taking for example, two minutes to finish a book of 200 duplex pages and thus conforms with generally accepted user expectations for "immediate" delivery from vending machines.
  • all the components of the book printing apparatus illustrated in Fig. 2A can be implemented in a vending machine having a common housing for all the components.
  • the book vending machine can be utilised for printing other material such as text books, scientific publication, articles and catalogues. It will be appreciated that pre-cut sheets can be utilised for the supply of paper as well as the web rolls hereinbefore described.

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Accessory Devices And Overall Control Thereof (AREA)
  • Collation Of Sheets And Webs (AREA)
  • Ink Jet (AREA)
  • Electronic Switches (AREA)
  • Folding Of Thin Sheet-Like Materials, Special Discharging Devices, And Others (AREA)

Claims (16)

  1. Distributeur automatique (1) pour fabriquer et délivrer des livres à la demande et en temps réel comprenant:
    un dispositif informatique de stockage de données (34) destiné à stocker une pluralité de titres de livres, comprenant chacun les informations de texte et d'images, les informations de couverture, et d'autres données d'identification;
    un tableau de commande (12) comprenant un écran d'affichage (21) destiné à afficher les informations d'identification des titres de livre stockés dans ledit dispositif de stockage de données, et l'interface utilisateur permettant à un utilisateur de sélectionner un desdits titres de livre stockés pour l'imprimer; et
    un appareil de fabrication de livres, ledit appareil de fabrication de livres comprenant:
    un appareil d'impression destiné à imprimer des informations de texte et d'images et des informations de couvertures associées audit titre de livre sélectionné; et
    un appareil de reliure (12) destiné à relier sous forme de livre les éléments sortant dudit appareil d'impression pour le titre de livre sélectionné.
  2. Appareil selon la revendication 1, dans lequel ledit appareil de fabrication de livres comprend:
    un moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6) destiné à imprimer les informations de texte et d'images dudit titre de livre sélectionné sur une pluralité de pages;
    un moteur d'impression de couvertures (10) destiné à imprimer les informations de couverture dudit titre de livre sélectionné sur un matériau de plat recto et de plat verso;
    une assembleuse (12) destinée à assembler les pages imprimées ainsi que les plats recto et verso du livre sélectionné par l'utilisateur;
    une relieuse (12) destinée à relier les pages imprimées et les couvertures assemblées par ladite assembleuse; et
    un régisseur (3, 4) destiné à extraire dudit dispositif de stockage (31) un titre de livre sélectionné par l'utilisateur, et à commander lesdits texte et images à imprimer, lesdites informations de couverture à imprimer, ladite assembleuse, et ladite relieuse, pour imprimer et relier ainsi le livre sélectionné par l'utilisateur.
  3. Appareil selon la revendication 2, dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression d'images (6) est un moteur d'impression en noir et blanc, et ledit moteur d'impression de couvertures est un moteur d'impression en couleur.
  4. Appareil selon la revendication 2, 3,
       dans lequel ledit tableau de commande (2) comprend un dispositif de paiement destiné à être utilisé par l'utilisateur pour payer le livre sélectionné, et un dispositif de décharge (13) destiné à décharger le livre sélectionné après qu'il a été imprimé par les moteurs d'impression de texte/images et de couvertures, et qu'il a été relié par la relieuse.
  5. Appareil selon la revendication 4, dans lequel
       ledit dispositif de paiement situé dans le tableau de commande (2) comprend une fente pour carte de crédit dans laquelle l'utilisateur peut insérer une carte de crédit; et/ou
       dans lequel ledit tableau de commande comprend en outre une fente à logiciel pilote (23) dans laquelle l'utilisateur peut insérer un support de données externe contenant une information de titre de livre destinée à être imprimée et reliée à la place d'un titre de livre stocké dans ledit dispositif de stockage de données; et/ou
       dans lequel ledit tableau de commande (2) comprend en outre au moins un écran d'affichage (29) destiné à afficher les informations associées à un quelconque desdits titres de livres.
  6. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 3 à 5,
       dans lequel lesdits tableau de commande (2), moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6), moteur d'impression de couvertures (10), assembleuse et relieuse (12), ainsi que les régisseurs de commande sont tous logés à l'intérieur d'un bâti commun; et/ou
       dans lequel ledit dispositif de stockage de données (31) est également logé à l'intérieur dudit bâti commun.
  7. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 6,
       dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression de texte et d'images comprend une pluralité de feuilles et un mécanisme de chargement à feuilles; et/ou
       dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6) comprend un support d'au moins un rouleau d'une bande de papier (51), un dispositif d'alimentation pour amener la bande de papier au moteur d'impression de texte et d'images, et une découpeuse (85) destinée à découper ladite bande de papier en feuilles de la taille d'une page commandée par ledit régisseur (Δ, 3).
  8. Appareil selon la revendication 7,
       dans lequel ladite découpeuse (85) est en aval du moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6), de sorte que ladite bande de papier est découpée en feuilles après que les informations de texte et d'images ont été imprimées par le moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6); ou
       dans lequel ladite découpeuse (85) est en amont du moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6), de sorte que ladite bande de papier est découpée en feuilles avant que les informations de texte et d'images aient été imprimées par le moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6); et
       dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6) comprend une pluralité de supports (50a à 50d) destinés à supporter une pluralité de rouleaux de bande de papier (51), chaque support comprenant un capteur (52) destiné à capter la quantité de bande de papier dans le support respectif, et à actionner ledit régisseur afin de commuter automatiquement vers un autre support lorsque la bande de papier dans le support respectif approche de l'épuisement; et/ou
       dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression de texte et d'images comprend en outre un guide de support pour chaque support de rouleau, destiné à guider la bande de papier à partir de celui-ci;
       un guide de sortie;
       et un guide indexable situé entre tous les guides de supports et ledit guide de sortie, et indexable par ledit régisseur de façon à aligner sélectivement un desdits guides de supports avec ledit guide de sortie.
  9. Appareil selon la revendication 8,
       dans lequel lesdits supports et guides de supports sont disposés selon une rangée en forme d'arc au-dessus dudit guide indexable, ledit guide indexable pouvant pivoter de façon à aligner sélectivement un des guides de supports avec ledit guide de sortie; et/ou
       dans lequel lesdits guides de supports sont de deux longueurs différentes, les guides d'une première longueur alternant avec ceux des autres longueurs, de façon à minimiser l'espace occupé par les supports et par leurs rouleaux de bande de papier respectifs.
  10. Appareil selon la revendication 9, dans lequel chacun desdits guides comprend un élément de guidage fixe (64), et un élément de guidage pivotant (65), chacun desdits éléments de guidage comprenant des rouleaux pinceurs destinés à entrer en contact avec la bande de papier lorsqu'elle est amenée entre eux.
  11. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 10, dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression de texte et d'images comprend:
    un premier système de transport destiné à recevoir une bande de papier avec une face tournée vers le haut;
    un premier ensemble d'impression (75a) sus-jacent audit premier système de transport pour imprimer sur ledit premier côté de la bande de papier;
    un deuxième système de transport destiné à recevoir la bande de papier du premier système de transport, la face opposée de la bande étant tournée vers le haut;
    et un deuxième ensemble d'impression (75b) sus-jacent audit deuxième système de transport pour imprimer sur ladite face opposée de la bande tournée vers le haut.
  12. Appareil selon la revendication 11,
       dans lequel lesdits premier et deuxième ensembles d'impression (75a, 75b) sont des rangées à têtes d'impression à jet d'encre avec la largeur des pages; et/ou
       dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression de texte et d'images (6) comprend en outre un sécheur (76a, 76b) en aval desdits premier et deuxième ensembles de transport; et/ou
       dans lequel ledit moteur d'impression de couvertures comprend:
    un bac (91) destiné à recevoir une pile de couvertures prédécoupées aux dimensions;
    un ensemble formant moteur d'impression de couvertures destiné à imprimer les informations de couverture;
    et un dispositif d'alimentation par le haut (11) destiné à amener les couvertures séquentiellement du dessus de la pile dans le bac à l'ensemble formant moteur d'impression de couvertures;
    ledit ensemble formant moteur d'impression de couvertures étant commandé par ledit régisseur de façon à imprimer les informations de plat recto d'un titre de livre sélectionné sur une couverture, et les informations de plat verso du titre de livre sélectionné sur la couverture lui succédant immédiatement.
  13. Appareil selon la revendication 12,
       dans lequel ledit ensemble formant moteur d'impression de couvertures comprend une pluralité de têtes d'impression (102A à 102D) destinées à imprimer en couleur, ou
       dans lequel ledit ensemble formant moteur d'impression de couvertures comprend une pluralité de têtes d'impression, chacune desdites têtes d'impression imprimant sa couleur respective sur la couverture à partir d'un ruban de transfert coloré; ou
       dans lequel ledit ensemble formant moteur d'impression de couvertures comprend une pluralité de têtes d'impression, chacune desdites têtes d'impression imprimant sa couleur respective sur la couverture à partir d'un ruban de transfert coloré par un procédé de transfert thermique.
  14. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2 à 6, dans lequel ladite assembleuse comprend:
    un cadre d'assembleuse;
    un dispositif d'amenée de pages destiné à amener les pages imprimées d'informations de texte et d'images au cadre d'assembleuse, et à empiler les pages en son sein, en commençant par la première page, qui est tournée vers le bas;
    et un dispositif d'amenée de couvertures destiné à amener lesdites couvertures audit cadre d'assembleuse, en commençant par ledit plat recto, et comprenant un inverseur destiné à inverser le plat recto lors de son amenée au cadre d'assembleuse.
  15. Appareil selon la revendication 14, dans lequel ladite assembleuse comprend en outre:
    une fourche pouvant être insérée dans une position inclinée dans ledit cadre d'assembleuse, ledit dispositif d'amenée de pages amenant les pages de texte/d'images imprimées et les empilant sur la fourche, en commençant par la première page tournée vers le bas;
    pendant qu'un espace est prévu entre la fourche et le cadre d'assembleuse, de façon à permettre l'amenée dudit plat recto en position inversée dans l'extrémité inférieure de la pile, et ledit plat verso à l'extrémité supérieure de la pile;
    et une plaque de serrage (133) actionnée par ledit régisseur pour serrer les deux plats entre lesquels se trouve la pile de pages, afin de les préparer à être reliés par la relieuse.
  16. Appareil selon l'une quelconque des revendications 2, 6 et 14,
       dans lequel ladite relieuse comprend un applicateur d'adhésif (140) destiné à appliquer un adhésif sur la tranche des pages imprimées et des couvertures assemblées pax l'assembleuse; et/ou
       dans lequel ladite relieuse comprend un applicateur de bande destiné à appliquer une bande adhésive sur une tranche des pages imprimées et des couvertures assemblées par l'assembleuse.
EP99931433A 1998-07-16 1999-07-14 Machine pour la fabrication et la distribution de livres Expired - Lifetime EP1017565B1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IL12538998 1998-07-16
IL12538998A IL125389A (en) 1998-07-16 1998-07-16 A sales machine for making and delivering books
PCT/IL1999/000390 WO2000003876A1 (fr) 1998-07-16 1999-07-14 Machine pour la fabrication et la distribution de livres

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1017565A1 EP1017565A1 (fr) 2000-07-12
EP1017565A4 EP1017565A4 (fr) 2001-08-16
EP1017565B1 true EP1017565B1 (fr) 2003-07-02

Family

ID=11071755

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP99931433A Expired - Lifetime EP1017565B1 (fr) 1998-07-16 1999-07-14 Machine pour la fabrication et la distribution de livres

Country Status (8)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1017565B1 (fr)
JP (1) JP2002520726A (fr)
CN (1) CN1274315A (fr)
AU (1) AU4796299A (fr)
CA (1) CA2304247A1 (fr)
DE (2) DE1017565T1 (fr)
IL (1) IL125389A (fr)
WO (1) WO2000003876A1 (fr)

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
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US7014182B2 (en) 1999-04-29 2006-03-21 Marsh Jeffrey D Apparatus and method of on demand printing, binding, and trimming a perfect bound book
US6460843B1 (en) 2000-02-02 2002-10-08 Aprion Digital Ltd. Paperback finishing machine
US7503555B2 (en) 2004-08-09 2009-03-17 Epac Technologies System for and a method of producing a book on demand
JP4691568B2 (ja) * 2008-01-25 2011-06-01 株式会社東京機械製作所 連続紙用両面インクジェット印刷ユニット
DE102008062365A1 (de) * 2008-12-17 2010-07-08 E.C.H. Will Gmbh Vorrichtung und Verfahren zum Herstellen von Buchblöcken
JP2010228289A (ja) * 2009-03-27 2010-10-14 Dainippon Printing Co Ltd 印画物製造方法、印画物製造装置、および製本物
ES2531123B2 (es) * 2014-12-04 2015-10-08 Alberto PÉREZ ZUGASTI Máquina expendedora de objetos personalizados en tres dimensiones
CN108537964A (zh) * 2018-05-31 2018-09-14 张育祥 一种全自动智能售书装置及其使用方法
CN108749290A (zh) * 2018-06-19 2018-11-06 阜阳市飞扬印务有限公司 一种印刷设备
CN116409076B (zh) * 2023-03-01 2025-10-10 广东天章信息纸品有限公司 多机印刷与印后加工联机生产工艺和设备

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US3892427A (en) * 1972-12-20 1975-07-01 Dart Ind Inc Personalized computer printed hard covered book
US3982744A (en) * 1972-12-20 1976-09-28 Me-Books Publishing Company Personalized computer printed hard covered book
US4143889A (en) * 1975-09-15 1979-03-13 Scharlin John A Large print books and method for producing the same from regular size books
US4149711A (en) * 1977-06-27 1979-04-17 Harris Corporation Personalized on-line printing and inserting magazine binding machine
US5190316A (en) * 1991-08-29 1993-03-02 Hefty John B Method of making personalized children's storybook utilizing stickers
US5350303A (en) * 1991-10-24 1994-09-27 At&T Bell Laboratories Method for accessing information in a computer
US5524932A (en) * 1994-05-05 1996-06-11 Kalisher; Yaakov Sticker-based methods of making a personalized children's storybook
ES2149443T3 (es) * 1995-02-01 2000-11-01 Ferag Ag Procedimiento de produccion de impresos e impresos producidos segun este procedimiento.
US6306072B1 (en) * 1995-02-01 2001-10-23 Ferag Ag Method and system for production and decentralized delivery of printed products

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1274315A (zh) 2000-11-22
JP2002520726A (ja) 2002-07-09
DE1017565T1 (de) 2001-01-25
EP1017565A4 (fr) 2001-08-16
IL125389A0 (en) 1999-03-12
DE69909226D1 (de) 2003-08-07
EP1017565A1 (fr) 2000-07-12
IL125389A (en) 2002-07-25
DE69909226T2 (de) 2004-04-29
AU4796299A (en) 2000-02-07
WO2000003876A1 (fr) 2000-01-27
CA2304247A1 (fr) 2000-01-27

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