Patents Assigned to Horizon International Inc.
  • Publication number: 20120238422
    Abstract: In the knife folding machine of the present invention it is possible to easily adjust the stroke of the reciprocal movement of the knife blade 5. The rod 10 is reciprocated by the feed screw 12. The feed screw 12 is rotated by the servomotor 14. Thus when the knife blade 5 reciprocates between the first and second positions, the first and second positions thereof are separately adjusted by controlling the amount of the rotation of the servomotor 14.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Watanabe, Tatsuaki Ida, Tsuyoshi Matsumoto, Takehito Yokogi
  • Publication number: 20120172189
    Abstract: A paper folding device is configured so that a folding line is always formed at a predetermined position of paper sheets. A paper supply section is provided with a conveyor belt for conveying paper sheets (P) sequentially supplied from a paper sheet stack. A guide plate (4) for aligning the positions of the conveyed paper sheets is provided on a conveying surface of the conveyor belt. A paper folding section has a buckle (10) comprising an outer frame (11) and bars (12) which extend between opposite sides (11a, 11b) of the outer frame and are arranged at intervals from each other. Paper sheet introducing gaps extended in the direction of the length of the bars are provided in the buckle.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2009
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Shinya Watanabe, Tatsuaki Ida, Yoshikazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8052135
    Abstract: While a book block (P) is nipped between a pair of clamping plates (1a, 1b) and passes through processing units (B to D) in succession, perfect book bind processing is carried out. Two or more of the processing units (B to D) have pairs of members (2b, 2c; 3c, 3d; 4a, 4b) which engage or come into contact with both sides of a back surface of the book block A thickness of the book block is measured by a measuring unit (6) before the book binding processing is started. When a thickness of next book block is measured by a measuring unit during the book bind processing of a previous book block, a control section (7) stores a measured value of the thickness of the next book block in a memory (8). When the previous book block reaches a predetermined position on a conveying path, a gap between the pair of members of the processing unit located upstream of a position of the previous book block is adjusted based on the measured value stored in the memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2011
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Eiji Katayama, Shinichi Takai, Masaru Kano, Shigeru Wakimoto
  • Patent number: 7926798
    Abstract: A saddle-stitched brochure comprising a collated sheet stack (P1 to P3) folded in two at its center portion and stitched with wire at least two positions spaced from each other on the folding line (1a), characterized in that a small printed material (2, 2a) is arranged between the adjacent sheets (P2, P3) of the sheet stack (P1 to P3) and inserted between the adjacent stitched portions (3, 3) on the folding line (1a) and folded along the folding line (1a) together with the sheet stack (P1 to P3) so as to be held in the brochures (1).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2011
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuo Taketsugu, Hisahiro Hirayama
  • Publication number: 20100189530
    Abstract: A machine for attachment of a cover to a book block comprises: a press plate (8) arranged for reciprocal vertical movement; a press plate elevating means; a pair of nip plates (9, 10) arranged on the press plate (8) for sliding; nip plate drive means; and a clamp unit (5) for clamping a book block (4). The clamp unit (5) arranges the book block (4) above a gap between the nip plates (9, 10) in a way that a back surface of the book block (4) with glue layer faces the gap. A cover (12) is arranged on the press plate (8). The press plate (8) is moved from a standby position to a press position and the cover (12) is pressed against the back surface of the book block (4), and the book block (4) is clamped by the nip plates (9, 10) together with the cover (12), so that the cover (12) is attached to the book block (4).
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2009
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventor: Nobuyuki KOJIMA
  • Patent number: 7686289
    Abstract: There are provided a plurality of sheet feeding units 2a to 2d arranged in a vertical direction at spacing therebetween, a vertical sheet conveyance path G arranged oppositely with the sheet outlets 12a to 12d of the sheet feeding units 2a to 2d, conveyance means 1 and 6 for sequentially conveying the sheets fed from respective sheet feeding units 2a to 2d, vertically downward along the sheet conveyance path G, and control means controlling the sheet feeding units 2a to 2d and the conveyance means 1 and 6 in such a manner that the sheets fed from the sheet feeding units 2a to 2d are conveyed while at least partially overlapping the sheets which are fed from a sheet feeding unit of a next lower site on the sheets which are fed from the sheet feeding unit of an upper site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Horizon International, Inc
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Ono, Yoshinari Kuwabara
  • Patent number: 7669509
    Abstract: A guillotine cutter (1) of the invention is provided with a pressing block driving mechanism (6) positioning a pressing block (5) at a standby position which is spaced upwardly from a sheet bundle (10), a first operating position pressing the sheet bundle by a first pressing force, and a second operating position pressing the sheet bundle by a second pressing force which is larger than the first pressing force.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2010
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Chuji Yamaguchi, Hitoshi Uchida, Akira Nakajima, Tetsuya Kawagoe, Takakazu Hori, Jun Mochizuki, Eiji Katayama
  • Patent number: 7658308
    Abstract: In a sheet stitching apparatus in which a wire W reeled out from a wire reel 5 is cut only a predetermined length, the cut wire is bent into a U-shape and driven into a set of sheets S, both ends of the U-shaped wire are bent and the set of sheets are stitched, there is provided a detector 10-15 arranged for movement according to a change in a degree of bending of the wire guide 4 effected by a change in a remaining amount of the wire of the wire reel 5 for detection of a change of position of the wire guide effected by a pull-in operation of wire by the stitching head 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Takakazu Hori, Masayuki Kashiba
  • Publication number: 20090297297
    Abstract: While a book block (P) is nipped between a pair of clamping plates (1a, 1b) and passes through processing Units (B to D) in succession, perfect book bind processing is carried out. Two or more of the processing units (B to D) have pairs of members (2b, 2c; 3c, 3d; 4a, 4b) which engage or come into contact with both sides of a back surface of the book block A thickness of the book block is measured by a measuring unit (6) before the book binding processing is started. When a thickness of next book block is measured by a measuring unit during the book bind processing of a previous book block, a control section (7) stores a measured value of the thickness of the next book block in a memory (8). When the previous book block reaches a predetermined position on a conveying path, a gap between the pair of members of the processing unit located upstream of a position of the previous book block is adjusted based on the measured value stored in the memory.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2009
    Publication date: December 3, 2009
    Applicant: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Eiji Katayama, Shinichi Takai, Masaru Kano, Shigeru Wakimoto
  • Publication number: 20090288537
    Abstract: A machine includes a table (2) on which a sheet bundle (3) is placed, a cutting blade (4) cutting four sides of the sheet bundle, a blade receiving plate (5) arranged on the table, a positioning block (6) arranged on the table in parallel to the blade receiving plate for slide movement in directions toward and away from the blade receiving plate, an operation data storage section (15) storing data of a order of cutting of sides of the sheet bundle, data of a distance between a cutting line of the positioning block and the sheet bundle for each cutting operation accordance with the order of cutting, and data of both a direction and an angle of rotation of the sheet bundle for each cutting operation, and an indication section (16) indicating the order of cutting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Publication date: November 26, 2009
    Applicant: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Hisahiro Hirayama, Minoru Ogawa, Hideaki Tabuchi
  • Publication number: 20090285656
    Abstract: A table (31) is located in a first position and a second position which is rotated at 90 degrees from the first position. A cover (27) is arranged on a top face of the table (31) and fixed to the table (31) by fixing means (32a, 32b). Cardboards are preliminarily attached to predetermined positions on a rear face of the cover (27), and an outer margin of a predetermined width is formed outside the cardboard. Folding units (35) are arranged on either side of the table (31), and guided by guide rails (34) for reciprocal linear movement in directions toward and away from the table (31). The folding units (35) are located in an outer margin folding position at which said folding units (35) engage with the cover (27) on the table (31) and fold the outer margin of the cover (27) so as to attach the outer margin to the cardboards, and a standby position at which the folding units (35) separate from the cover (27). A control unit controls the table (31) and the folding units (35).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2009
    Publication date: November 19, 2009
    Applicant: HORIZON INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Nobuyuki KOJIMA, Ko OUCHIYAMA, Kazuyuki FUKUSHIMA
  • Patent number: 7534201
    Abstract: A sheet conveying section (B) sequentially conveys a sheet (P) from a sheet feeding section (A), and a sheet folding section (D) folds the sheet (P) received from the sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction. The sheet conveying section (B) comprises a conveyer belt (3), and a positioning ruler (4) for positioning the sheet (P) while it is conveyed. The sheet folding section (D) comprises a folding knife (9), a pair of folding rollers (10), and first and second guides (11a, 11b) arranged on either side of the folding knife (9). The sheet (p) is positioned to a fold position by the first and second guides (11a, 11b) and folded by the folding knife (9) and the folding roller (10). The positioning ruler (4) is moved in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by a first driving mechanism (5, 6). The first and second guides (11a) are moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction respectively by second and third driving mechanisms (21, 22; 23, 24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: Horizon International, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Tatsuaki Ida
  • Patent number: 7493840
    Abstract: A three-side trimmer according to the present invention comprises a bound material feed unit (2) for feeding the bound material (1) one by one; a rotating table unit (3) for receiving the bound material (1) from the bound material feed unit (2) at a predetermined position and rotating the bound material at every predetermined angle in such a manner that the bound material is arranged at three positions of a top edge cutting position, a front edge cutting position and a bottom edge cutting position; a trimming unit (4) arranged for movement in a direction close to or away from the rotating table unit (3) between two positions of a cutting position at which the trimming unit (4) becomes close to the rotating table unit (3) so as to cut a top edge section (1a), a bottom edge section (1b) and a front edge section (1c) of the bound material (1), respectively, and a standby position at which the trimming unit (4) is away from the rotating table unit (3); trimming unit guide means (5) arranged between the rotating t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Chuji Yamaguchi, Ko Ouchiyama, Masato Nogawa
  • Patent number: 7428859
    Abstract: A lower guillotine cutter blade (2) is mounted to a frame (1). A guillotine cutter-blade holder (3) holds an upper guillotine cutter blade (4) and vertically reciprocates with respect to the lower guillotine cutter blade (2). Rods (6) are vertically slidably mounted to the guillotine cutter-blade holder (3). A pressing plate (5) is secured to the lower ends of the rods (6). Springs (7) are fitted around the rods (6) between the guillotine cutter-blade holder (3) and the pressing plate (5) for downwardly elastically biasing the rods (6) so that the heads (6a) of the rods are kept abutted against the guillotine cutter-blade holder (3). In a cutting operation, after the pressing plate (5) is brought into abutment with a batch of paper (20), the guillotine cutter-blade holder (3) is further downwardly moved, thereby causing the lower and upper guillotine cutter blades (2 and 4) to cut the batch of paper (20) and also causing the heads (6a) to upwardly protrude from the guillotine cutter-blade holder (3).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2008
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Fujita, Ko Ouchiyama, Eiji Katayama
  • Patent number: 7373707
    Abstract: The milling apparatus (10) is arranged in such a manner that the deep groove cutter (21) is attached to the milling cutter (20) and the rotational drive shaft (23a) is approximately orthogonal to a spine (16a) of a sheet bundle (16) by the mechanism for tilting the drive apparatus (24) when an EVA-based hot melt adhesive is used. The milling apparatus (10) is arranged in such a manner that the shallow cutter (22) is attached to the milling cutter (20) and the rotational drive shaft (23a) is tilted with respect to a conveying direction of the sheet bundle (16) by the mechanism for tilting the drive apparatus (24) when a PUR-based holt melt adhesive is used.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Ko Ouchiyama, Hirohito Nakanishi, Shigenobu Fukuda, Kanta Kambara
  • Patent number: 7261507
    Abstract: A book binding system for a saddle-stitched bound booklet comprises a sheet feeding section (1) feeding sheets or sets of sheets (P) one by one, a sheet folding section (3) sequentially receiving a sheet or a set of sheets (P) from the sheet feeding section (1) and folding the sheet or the set of sheets (P) along the center line thereof, a sheet stacking section (4) stacking the sheet or the set of sheets (P) folded by the sheet folding section (3) in such a manner that the folded sheets or the folded sets of sheets are aligned with each other with respect to the fold lines thereof, a sheet stitching section (5) receiving a stack of the sheets or the sets of sheets (P?) from the sheet stacking section (4) each time the predetermined number of the sheets or the sets of sheets (P) are stacked in the sheet stacking section, and stitching the stack of the sheets or the sets of sheets (P?) at the fold line thereof, and a control section (46) controlling operation of the sheet feeding section (1), the sheet folding
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2007
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Horii, Eiji Katayama, Masayuki Kashiba, Ko Ouchiyama, Kazuhisa Fujita, Tomonori Yachi, Takakazu Hori, Hisahiro Hirayama
  • Patent number: 7198264
    Abstract: In a sheet supplying device for feeding a sheet from a sheet stack configured by stacking plural sets of sheets collated by page order, each of which corresponds to one volume, for each set of sheets, in a state where the sheets are superimposed on one another so as to be sequentially offset from one another in a fore-to-aft direction, the sheet supplying device comprises: first transport means 2 for sucking a sheet in an uppermost position of a sheet stack P placed on a sheet table 1 so as to move the sheet rearward; second transport means 3 for sucking the sheet moved rearward by the first transport means 2 so as to transport the sheet forward; and a control unit 9 controlling suction operations of the first and second transport means 2, 3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Masayuki Kashiba, Yoshiyuki Horii, Nobuyuki Kojima
  • Patent number: 7077042
    Abstract: The three-side trimmer comprises an alignment station (F) for receiving booklet bundle (32) and aligning the booklets, and a cutting station (D) for cutting the top, bottom and fore edges of the bundle, and a chuck mechanism (40) which holds the bundle and conveys it to the cutting station. The cutting station has a cutting table (23), a top edge cutting knife (43), a bottom edge cutting knife (44), a fore edge cutting knife 42, and a pressing plate 48 movable between a waiting position and a working position. An encoder reads the data about the rotational position of the servomotor (38) in the chuck mechanism while it holds the booklet bundle. The control portion (25) measures the height of the bundle and controls a driving mechanism of the pressing plate such that the pressing plate moves up and down between waiting and working positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Masato Nogawa, Tatsuo Uchida, Yoshiyuki Horii, Ko Ouchiyama
  • Patent number: 6733010
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus comprises a sheet conveying mechanism for conveying sheets along a first conveying path (22) and stacking up them in a sheet stack-feed station (S), a tray (24) for storing a stack of cover sheets (P), a second conveying path (28) communicating with the first conveying path (22), a blow outlet (38) for blowing a jet of air towards the tray (24) to lift up each cover sheet (P), a sucker (30) for sucking the cover sheet (P), a sheet feeding mechanism for conveying the cover sheet (P) received from the sucker (30) along the second conveying path (28) and feeding it to the first conveying path (22), and a pneumatic pump (34) for providing a blow of air and a suction of air. The sheet feeding mechanism is changed to its standby mode when the cover sheet is transferred from the sucker (30) to the sheet feeding mechanism. Upon the sheets having been stacked in the sheet stack-feed station (S), the sheet feeding mechanism transfers the cover sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Horizon International Inc.
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Horii, Eiji Katayama, Yoshihiro Oe
  • Patent number: RE41976
    Abstract: A sheet conveying section (B) sequentially conveys a sheet (P) from a sheet feeding section (A), and a sheet folding section (D) folds the sheet (P) received from the sheet conveying section (B) in a conveying direction. The sheet conveying section (B) comprises a conveyer belt (3), and a positioning ruler (4) for positioning the sheet (P) while it is conveyed. The sheet folding section (D) comprises a folding knife (9), a pair of folding rollers (10), and first and second guides (11a, 11b) arranged on either side of the folding knife (9). The sheet (p) is positioned to a fold position by the first and second guides (11a, 11b) and folded by the folding knife (9) and the folding roller (10). The positioning ruler (4) is moved in a direction perpendicular to the conveying direction by a first driving mechanism (5, 6). The first and second guides (11a) are moved in the direction perpendicular to the conveying direction respectively by second and third driving mechanisms (21, 22; 23, 24).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2010
    Assignee: Horizon International, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroki Yamamoto, Tatsuaki Ida