JPH0930720A - Bookbinding device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [PROBLEMS] To provide a bookbinding apparatus capable of performing excellent spine printing even when the bookbinding bundle thickness changes. Kind Code: A1 A bookbinding apparatus including a conveying unit that conveys a spine cover, a printing unit 90 that prints on the conveyed spine cover, and a bookbinding unit that attaches the spine sheet conveyed to a sheet bundle and creates a binding bundle. In the above, moving means 150, 151, 152, 153, 154 for changing the relative position of the conveying means for conveying the spine cover and the print head 91 of the printing means are provided.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a bookbinding device having a spine cover printing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a bookbinding apparatus for binding a bundle of sheets has been known. Among the bookbinding apparatuses, a bookbinding apparatus having means for printing on a spine cover and providing a bound booklet on-line is provided. Is also proposed.

[0003]

However, in the case of the conventional apparatus, when the font size of the printing by the printing means is constant, the area of the spine cover changes depending on the bundle thickness of the book, so that the printing is performed in the area of the spine cover. It may not fit.

Further, when the character size of printing is selectable, a bundle thickness detecting means is provided, and the input range of the character size is restricted according to the bundle thickness so that the character size can be accommodated within the spine cover area. However, if the font size used is small, it may be difficult to see even if it is printed at corners.

An object of the present invention is to provide a bookbinding apparatus which can perform good spine printing even when the bookbinding bundle thickness changes.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to achieve the above object, and is a conveying means for conveying a backstrip, a printing means for printing on the conveyed backstrip,
In a bookbinding apparatus including a bookbinding unit that attaches the spine sheets conveyed to the sheet bundle to create a binding bundle, a moving unit that changes the relative position between the conveyance unit that conveys the spine sheets and the printing unit is provided. It has a feature.

In this case, a bundle thickness detecting means for detecting the thickness of the sheet bundle to be bound may be arranged and the moving means may be moved according to the detected thickness of the sheet bundle. At that time, the bundle thickness may be calculated as the bundle thickness detecting means based on the number of sheets to be bound and the thickness of one sheet.

As the moving means for changing the relative position, the printing means may be moved, or the conveying means for conveying the spine cover may be moved.

An ink jet printer can be used as the printing means.

[Operation] Since the present invention is configured as described above, even if the bundle thickness for bookbinding changes, by changing the relative position of the means for conveying the spine cover and the printing means, the spine cover It is possible to change the printing position of and to perform excellent back cover printing.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of an embodiment of an online device that best illustrates the features of the present invention.
The online device 1 includes a reading / paper feeding device 201, an image forming device 202, a bookbinding device 203, and a sorting and storing device 20.
4 are connected.

The reading / feeding device 201 has a document setting unit 2 for setting a document (not shown) and an optical system 3 for reading and scanning the same on the upper part, and a plurality of sheets S of different sizes stacked on the lower part. Paper feed decks 6 and 7 and paper feed units 9 and 10 for feeding sheets S are arranged.

The fed sheet S is transferred to a sheet transport unit 11
Through the sheet conveying path 12 of the image forming apparatus 202 on the downstream side
Transported to Reference numeral 13 denotes a laser scanner that scans a laser beam based on the image information read by the optical system 3, and reference numeral 15 denotes an image forming unit that is scanned by the laser scanner 13 to form a toner image. The sheet S on which the image is formed by the image forming unit 15 is conveyed to the sheet conveying path 19 of the bookbinding device 203 on the downstream side by the conveying belt 16 and the conveying roller pair 17.

The bookbinding apparatus 203 includes a sheet aligning tray 41 for accommodating and aligning a sheet S branched and conveyed from the sheet conveying path 19, an abutting member 59 for abutting a sheet front end, an aligned sheet bundle and a bind. A tape heating device 56 for heating the tape, a vertically movable carriage 60 for carrying the bookbinding completed product, and stackers 71, 72 for storing the bookbinding completed product are provided.

In the sorting apparatus 204, reference numeral 25 is an elevator for transmitting the sheet S conveyed in the sheet conveying path 19 to the conveying path 26, 27 is a pair of conveying rollers arranged at a plurality of branch portions of the conveying path 26, and 29 is a conveying roller pair. Indicates a pair of discharge rollers that carry out the sheet S branched at each branch portion to the corresponding discharge tray 30. Also, the bookbinding device 203
The bookbinding completed product discharged from the discharge port 139 can be discharged from the discharge port 32 to the outside of the machine via the elevator 25 and the conveyance roller pair 31.

The bookbinding device 203 has a sorting and storing device 2
If 04 is not connected, the first outlet 19b
Stacking tray (not shown) for stacking sheets discharged to the stack
And a stacking tray (not shown) for stacking discharged finished bookbinding products are arranged at the second discharge port 139.

Next, the details of the bookbinding apparatus 203 are shown in FIG.
(A).

In the figure, the bookbinding apparatus 203 has a conveyance path 19 for the sheet S conveyed from the image forming apparatus 202, and has a first carry-in port 19a and a first discharge port 19b at both ends. Has been formed. Along the sheet conveyance path 19, a carry-in roller 20, a plurality of conveyance roller pairs 21, a discharge roller 22, and the like are arranged from the upstream side.

A flapper 36 (branching means) is disposed near the downstream side of the carry-in roller 20, and the sheet conveying path 1 is provided.
9 is branched to the guide portion 33. The branching means 36 operates to guide the sheet material S to the guide portion 33, or when the sheet material S does not operate, the sheet material S is conveyed in the sheet conveying path 19 as it is. A sheet aligning tray 41 having 43 is provided, and an abutting member 59 with which the sheet material S abuts is provided on the leading end side thereof. The sheet material S carried into the sheet aligning tray 41 by the transport rollers 39 is a sweeping member 4 formed of a belt that is rotatable around one end (the upper left end in the drawing) as a swing center.
By 9, the contact member 59 is brought closer to the abutting member 59 side and abutted and aligned.

The back-to-back movement in the sheet width direction is performed by the width-shifting means 50 to shift the sheet to the reference side (not shown).
The blower fan 46 arranged above the upper guide plate 43 prevents the swelling of the folded sheet material S by pressing the sheet material S carried on the alignment tray 41 with air.

Reference numeral 53 in the drawing denotes a clamp member for holding a specified number of sheet bundles. Further, reference numeral 42 denotes an auxiliary guide plate for the sheet bundle, and 55 denotes a stop finger (acts when one sheet bundle is stored and temporarily stores the leading number of the next sheet bundle). ing.

When one bookbinding sheet bundle is carried into the aligning tray 41 and aligned, the clamp member 53 operates to clamp the sheet bundle S1. When binding a plurality of copies, at this time, the stop fingers 55 are actuated at the same time, and the sheet bundle S1 clamped by the clamp member 53 is delivered from the alignment tray 41 until the next bundle of sheets is completed. The first few sheets (S2, ...) Begin to be temporarily stored.

Subsequently, the clamp member 53 is used for the sheet bundle S1.
Clamp and move linearly toward the back contact position H (B
Direction) (do not apply excessive stress to the sheet bundle). At this time, substantially in conjunction with the movement of the clamp member 53,
The catching guide plate 42 moves from the lower portion of the aligning tray 41 in parallel with the sheet bundle S1 at a substantially constant speed to the vicinity of the back contact position H to guide the lower surface of the sheet bundle S1.

When the bundle of sheets S1 is carried out from the aligning tray 41 by the clamp member 53, the abutting member 59 returns to the abutting position, and the stop fingers 55 are retracted from the storage position to the retracted position and stored. The sheets are positioned in the aligning tray 41, and the sheets S conveyed into the aligning tray 41 are continuously aligned. The sheet bundle S1 is clamped by the clamp member 53 and linearly moves (without being subjected to excessive stress) while being guided by the auxiliary guide plate 42 on the lower surface, and is set at the back contact position H.

The distance between the butting member 59 and the heater 56 is longer than the size of the bundle to be bound.

To perform bookbinding, as shown in FIG. 3, the bind tape 77 fed from the tape reel 77A is cut by the cutter 79, subsequently printed on the back surface in the printing portion, and the tape transport carriage moves the tape reel 77A onto the tape reel 77A. The tape is conveyed from the height to the height of the tape heating device 56. Further, the tape is fed from the carriage to the tape heating device 56, and the tape supply is completed.

Subsequently, the tape heating device 56 moves to the tape side to start preheating the bind tape 77. The sheet bundle S1 is brought into contact with the back surface contact position H (see FIG. 2) at this timing.
It is carried to (a)) and set, and the back side binding is performed. When the binding of the back surface of the sheet bundle S1 is completed, the side heaters 51 and 52 start binding the side surface while retracting the tape guide and lifting the end portion of the binding tape 77.

The side heaters 51 and 52 pressurize the sides of the sheet bundle to finish the bent portion of the bind tape 77 (FIG. 2B), and when binding is completed, the side heaters 51 and 52 apply heat. The pressure is released.

Subsequently, the clamp member 53, which is a sheet bundle conveying means, retracts the finished bookbinding product from the back contact position H,
The carriage 60 is transferred to the delivery position.

In the carriage 60, while the sheet bundle is bound at the back contact position H, the sheet bundle supporting rod 605 and the sheet bundle rear end supporting plate 604 in the carriage are rotated.
6, the sheet bundle support rod 605 supports the lower surface of the sheet bundle together with the auxiliary guide plate 42 (the sheet bundle support rod moves in the D direction shown in FIG. 2).

After the bookbinding is completed, the bound sheet bundle is moved in the C direction (FIG. 2A) by the clamp member 53 and separated from the heater. After that, the sheet bundle trailing end support plate 604 moves between the pulled-up sheet bundle end portion and the heater.

The sheet bundle supporting rod 605 is moved in the D direction (see FIG. 2).
Further moving to (a)), the lower surface of the sheet bundle is supported only by the sheet bundle supporting rod 605. After that, the clamp and the auxiliary guide plate return to the alignment tray 41.

Since the sheet bundle is raised by the sheet bundle support rod 605 above the locus along which the auxiliary guide plate 42 moves, the clamp member 53 and the auxiliary guide plate 42 do not rub against the lower surface of the sheet bundle. It is possible to return to the alignment tray 41.

After the clamp member 53 and the auxiliary guide plate 42 have returned to the alignment tray 41, the sheet bundle supporting rod 605 and the sheet bundle rear end supporting plate 604 are in the E direction (see FIG. 2).
(A)) to rotate the sheet bundle to a horizontal position. At the horizontal position, the sheet bundle is grounded on the conveyor belt 61.

The bookbinding completed product on the carriage 60 is transferred to the stacker 71 or 7 by the conveyor belt 61 and the back-pressing member 604.
It is stored in 2. The stackers 71 and 72 have handles so that they can be engaged with a lock device in the device. Since two stackers are provided as described above, and one of the stackers can be pulled out manually when the finished book product is being conveyed to one, the inspection of the sample and the bookbinding finished product in the full stacker Can be taken out without stopping the bookbinding operation of the bookbinding apparatus. When the bookbinding completed product is not stored in the stackers 71 and 72, the finished bookbinding product is discharged from the second discharge port 139 to the outside of the machine.

FIG. 3 is a view of the tape supply section in FIG.

The bind tape 77 fed from the tape reel 77A is held by the first pinch roller 81 via the flanged tensioner 80. First pinch roller 8
1 is arranged near the tape reel 77A, and the inside of the broken line has a cassette 82 type configuration.
It becomes possible to perform the exchange of A outside the bookbinding apparatus main holiday, and the operability when exchanging the tape reel 77A is improved.

The bind tape 77 sent out by the first pinch roller 81 is cut by a cutter 79 into a predetermined length. The cut sheet-shaped binding tapes 77a, 77b,
c is conveyed to the tape heating device 56 by a pair of conveyance rollers 83, and its rear end is pushed to a predetermined position by a pushing finger. The above-mentioned conveying means may be a conveyor belt pair or a combination of a driving conveyor belt and a driven roller instead of the conveyor roller pair 83.

The sheet-like bind tapes 77a, 77b,
While c is being conveyed from the cutter 79 to the tape heating device 56, the tape is printed by the print head 31 on the side of the base paper 85 opposite to the paste surface 84 while passing through the printing unit 90. At that time, after the tip of the bind tape 77b passes through the position facing the print head 91, the bind tape 77b
The bind tape 77b is accurately conveyed at a constant speed until the rear end passes.

Further, since the bind tape 77a is cut by the cutter 79 in a stopped state, the tape being printed is conveyed at a constant speed without stopping during printing. L1, and the length of the transport path from the cutter 79 to the position facing the print head 91 is L
2. Sheet-like bind tapes 77a, 77b, 77c that are conveyed in the conveying path from the cutter 79 to the tape heating device 56
When the interval is Δ, the printing unit 90 is arranged such that the conditions of L2 <L1 + Δ and L2> L1 are satisfied. By satisfying the above conditions, the flow of the bind tape 77b becomes as follows.

When the tape reel 77A is fed out from the cutter 79 for a predetermined length by the first pinch roller 81 and the pair of compound conveyance rollers 83 (may be detected by the sensor S1 or may be detected by the counter). ), The bind tape 77b is temporarily stopped and cut. continue,
While the first pinch roller 81 is stopped, only the pair of compound conveyance rollers 83 is driven to convey the bind tape 77b. When the tip of the bind tape 77b reaches the position facing the print head 91 of the printing unit 90 (sensor S1).
Printing is started. When the distance between the rear end of the bind tape 77b and the front end of the next bind tape 77a reaches a predetermined distance Δ (may be detected by the sensor S2 or may be detected by the counter), the compound delivery conveyance roller. The first pinch roller 81 is also driven in synchronization with the pair 83. Printing of the bind tape 77b is completed before the bind tape 77a is fed from the cutter 79 by a predetermined length L1 and is stopped.
The rear end of 7b passes the position of the print head 90 facing the print head 91.

The printed surface of the printed bind tape 77c is dried while being conveyed from the printing section 90 to the entrance of the tape heating device 56. At this time, in order to secure the drying time, the transport path from the printing unit 90 to the entrance of the tape heating device 56 has a sufficient length. Alternatively, the printing unit 9
The interval between the bind tape 77b and the bind tape 77c conveyed from 0 to the entrance of the tape heating device 56 is reduced to delay the arrival time at the entrance of the tape heating device 56. Alternatively, a drying means such as utilizing heat of the tape heating device may be provided between the printing unit 90 and the entrance of the tape heating device 56.

FIG. 4A is a detailed view of the printing section 90 when viewed from the direction of arrow M in FIG. 3A. Print head 9
Reference numeral 1 denotes a central portion 91a which is pivotally supported by the cam shaft 150, and the pin portion 91b is engaged with the cam groove 150a of the cam shaft 150. A pulley 151 is fixed to the cam shaft 150, and the drive of the motor 154 is transmitted to the pulley 151 via a motor pulley 153 and a drive belt 152.

The motor 154 is a motor capable of rotating in the forward and reverse directions. As the motor 154 rotates, the cam shaft 150 rotates clockwise / counterclockwise as indicated by arrow N. Due to this movement, the print head 91 moves along the cam groove 150a, and thus also moves up and down as indicated by an arrow P.

As a result, the print head 91 can change its position relative to the width direction of the conveyed spine cover. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), it becomes possible to print the spine, which was conventionally printed at the approximate center of the spine cover, toward the end of the tape as indicated by the arrow in the figure. .

FIG. 4C shows a bookbinding bundle when printing is performed substantially at the center of the spine cover, and FIG. 4D is a bookbinding bundle when printing is performed at the end of the spine cover. What is printed on the end of the tape will be printed on the front or back cover after bookbinding.
In this way, the character size is not small and difficult to see, and the input range of the character size is limited so that it is not printed. As a result, it becomes possible to perform good spine printing even if the bookbinding bundle thickness changes.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment for moving the printing means. FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the printing unit 90 when FIG. 3A is viewed from the direction of arrow N. The print head 91 is part 9
1a 'is engaged with a part 155a of the slide rail 155, whereby the print head 91 is moved to the slide rail 1a.
It can move up and down 55 smoothly.

The print head 91 is fixed to the moving plate 156, and the moving plate 156 is provided with a rack 156a. Then, there is a pinion gear 153 'that meshes with the rack 156a, and this gear 153' is the motor 1
Driven by 54 '. Therefore, when the motor 154 'rotates, the print head 9 is moved through the moving plate 156.
1 makes it possible to change the position relative to the width direction of the conveyed spine cover. As a result, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), it becomes possible to print the spine, which was conventionally printed at the approximate center of the spine cover, toward the end of the tape as indicated by the arrow in the figure.

FIG. 6 shows an example of moving the means for conveying the spine cover. FIG. 6 is a detailed view of the printing unit 90 and the spine cover transporting unit 100 when FIG. 3A is viewed from the arrow L direction.

The conveyor belt 108 is attached to the conveyor roller pair 83.
Is suspended. The conveying roller pair 83 is pivotally supported on the upper plate 101 and the lower plate 102 by the bearing 103. further,
The shaft ends of the pair of conveying rollers 83 mesh with the cams 104 and 104 '. The cams 104, 104 'are pulleys 10
The motor 107 is rotationally driven via the belt 105 and 105 ′.

With this structure, the rotation of the motor 107 causes the pair of conveying rollers 83 to move up and down by the action of the cams 104 and 104 '. Therefore, the conveyor belt 10
Since 8 also moves up and down as shown by the arrow in the figure, the backstrip tape 77b also moves up and down. Therefore, the spine cover tape can be moved relative to the print head 91 in the width direction. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 4 (b), it is possible to print the spine conventionally printed at the approximate center of the spine cover toward the tape end as indicated by the arrow in the figure.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an online system showing an embodiment of the present invention. The printing operation on the back cover will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 7, reference numeral 301 denotes a system controller for controlling the operation of the entire copying machine, which controls the sequence of the entire system based on the information input by the operator operating the operation unit 306. 302
Is an image input device 308 that converts a document into image data.
And a scanner controller that controls the document feeding device 309 that feeds a duplicate number of documents to the image input device 308.

Reference numeral 303 denotes a memory 3 for storing a large amount of images.
04 is an image output controller that has a plurality of types of recording paper cassettes and has an image output device 310 that outputs image data as a visible image on recording paper in response to a print command.
Reference numeral 311 denotes a portion from reading an image to processing by the image processing unit 313, and the scanner unit 312 is an image output unit.

Reference numeral 314 is a display unit for displaying various information within the main holiday. 315 is a 314 display unit and 306
It is an operation display unit including an operation unit. An external device controller 305 controls data exchange with an external device 307 such as a printer system or a LAN.
Reference numeral 316 denotes a bookbinding unit for binding conveyed sheets and a bundle of sheets, and reference numeral 317 has a memory 320.
8. A bookbinding controller that controls the printing device 319.

Reference numeral 321 is a sorting unit for sorting the conveyed sheets and sheet bundles, and 322 is a sorting controller for controlling the sorting device 323.

The operator sets the document on the document feeding device 309 and designates the output mode from the operation unit 306. When the back cover printing of bookbinding is selected in the output mode, the document feeding device 309 counts the number of set documents by circulating the documents in the device.

The number of originals counted by the original feeding device 309 is displayed on the display unit 314, and the number of originals is displayed on the bookbinding device 318.
When the number of sheets that can be bound is within the range, characters to be printed, a logo (registered), etc. can be input from the operation unit 306.
The characters and logo entered by the operator are displayed on the display unit 314.

At this time, in order to display in the frame showing the bookbinding bundle thickness predicted by calculation from the number of documents counted by the document feeding device 309, the operator looks at the printing position while checking the bundle thickness after completion of bookbinding. You can select the font size.

When the print information and the copy start information are input to the operation unit 306, these information are transmitted to the system controller 301, and the system controller 301 considers the job assignment of each device based on the information. Then, drive the optical system to the scanner controller 302,
A command for prompting reading of image data is transmitted. The scanner controller 302 which received the command sequentially conveys the originals stacked on the original feeding device 309 one by one onto the glass surface of the original table based on the information, and drives the optical system in the image input device 308 to drive the originals. The image is read and the image data is transferred to the image processing unit 313.

The image processing unit 313 which has received the image data performs various image processing such as scaling and rotation, and sequentially stores the image data in the large capacity memory 304. After the image data is transferred from all the originals for one set, the completion of image reading is transmitted to the system controller 301. Upon receiving the image reading completion, the system controller 301 transmits to the image output controller 303 a command prompting the start of image formation. The image output controller 303, which has received the image formation start command, causes the large-capacity memory 304 in the current copying operation.
The image data stored in (1) is taken out page by page, an image is formed on the fed recording paper, the image is fixed, and then the paper is discharged to the paper discharge unit.

When all image formation is completed, the image output controller 303 transmits the image formation completion to the system controller 301.

Further, the bookbinding controller 317 transmits commands relating to bookbinding and printing from the system controller 301 to perform bookbinding and printing.

Further, the sorting controller 322 is adapted to transmit a command regarding sorting to sort. Then, when the operation of each device ends, a signal of operation end is transmitted to the system controller 301, and the system controller 301 transmits the operation end of each device to the operation unit 306, and the display unit 314
Is displayed at the end.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. In the present embodiment, the number of originals is counted by the original feeding device to predict the bookbinding bundle thickness, but the number of originals is known in advance. It is also possible for the operator to input the document saving from the operation unit.

Further, in this embodiment, the bookbinding bundle thickness is predicted from the number of originals, but a detection sensor (the sheet bundle thickness is determined by the interval between the upper and lower clamp members) in the alignment tray 41 of the bookbinding apparatus or the crank member 53 for conveying the bundle. It is also possible to make a print input after actual measurement is provided.

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since the relative position of the means for conveying the spine cover and the printing means can be changed, good spine cover printing can be performed by moving either position even if the bookbinding thickness changes.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an online device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

2A is a side view of a bookbinding apparatus, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of a bookbinding product.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of the tape supply unit of FIG. 2A viewed from the direction of arrow A.

FIG. 4A shows a means for moving the printing means,
(B) shows the movement of the print position, (c), (d) is a diagram showing a sample of the printed product.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing another example of moving the printing unit.

FIG. 6 is a detailed view of a conveying unit that conveys a bind tape.

FIG. 7 is a circuit block diagram of an online device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 90 printing unit (printing unit) 100 conveying unit (conveying unit) 201 reading / paper feeding device 202 image forming apparatus 203 bookbinding apparatus 204 sorting storage apparatus

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A bookbinding apparatus comprising: a conveying unit for conveying a spine cover; a printing unit for printing on the conveyed spine cover; and a bookbinding unit for pasting the conveyed spine cover into a sheet bundle to form a binding bundle. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising moving means for changing the relative position of the conveying means for conveying the spine cover and the printing means. 2. A bundle thickness detecting means for detecting the thickness of a sheet bundle to be bound is arranged, and the moving means is moved according to the detected thickness of the sheet bundle. The bookbinding device described in 1. 3. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit that changes the relative position is a unit that moves the printing unit. 4. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the means for changing the relative position is means for moving a carrying means for carrying the spine cover. 5. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the bundle thickness detecting means is configured to calculate the bundle thickness based on the number of sheets to be bound and the thickness of one sheet. 6. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the printing unit is an inkjet printer.