Abstract: In binding a cover sheet together with a sheet bundle, ever-accurate spine-creasing irrespective of bundle thickness is made possible. A sheet stacker stacks sheets into bundles, an adhesive applicator applies adhesive to a spine part of the sheet bundles, and a cover-sheet binder binds cover sheets together with the spine parts. The cover-sheet binder is constituted from a left-and-right pair of spine-creasing press members arranged free to shift between standby and spine-creasing positions; a shifter that reciprocates the spine-creasing press members between the standby and spine-creasing positions; and a controller. The controller functions to vary, in accordance with sheet bundle thickness, any of: (1) the standby position of the press members; (2) the start time of an operation whereby the press members are shifted from the standby to the spine-creasing position; or (3) the traveling speed of the press members in shifting from the standby to the spine-creasing position.

Abstract: A sheet bundle conveying device includes a tray device on which sheets are placed and held in a bundle, a sheet bundle conveying path along which a sheet bundle from the tray device is guided to a predetermined processing position, a grip transferring device located on the sheet bundle conveying path for gripping and transferring the sheet bundle from the tray device to a processing position, and a grip controlling device for controlling the grip transferring device. When an apparatus error occurs, the grip transferring device moves the conveyed sheet bundle backward to the collection stage. A grip on the sheet bundle is released on the collection stage after the sheet bundle is returned.

Abstract: Bookbinding apparatus facilitating, in the event it is halted during operation, the removal of any sheave left remaining inside, to eliminate the risk of sheets scattering. A sheet bundler/stacker bundles printed sheets into sheaves. Along a binding process path are provided a sheave transporter for transporting the sheaves and, at the downstream end of the bundler/stacker, an adhesive applicator in an adhesive-application position and a front-cover binder in a front-cover binding position. A sheave exiting-conveyor conveys sheaves from the front-cover binder into a storage stacker. A sheet-position recognizer detects/monitors the position of a sheave in the binding process path. If the bookbinding operations are interrupted, the position of any sheave left in the binding process path is determined by the sheet-position recognizer, and when the apparatus is restarted the order of the binding processes is altered depending on the position in which the sheave is left behind.

Abstract: Bookbinding apparatus adhesive applicator accurately, briefly controls adhesive temperature to a set value by selecting, in accordance with adhesive initial temperature, one of a plurality of temperature-controller heating modes defining different supply powers and supply durations for supplying power to an adhesive-container heater to control its heating temperature. A sensor detects the temperature of the adhesive in the container at applicator start-up, or on restarting a post-standby applicator. In accordance with the detected temperature, one of the heating modes is selected to heat the adhesive. The applicator warm-up time is thus set in response to the state of the adhesive: If solidified, the adhesive is heated and melted in a maximum supply-power, supply-duration mode; if low-temperature liquefied at, it is heated and melted in a second-magnitude supply-power, supply-duration mode; and if the adhesive temperature is high, it is heated and melted in a minimal supply-power, supply-duration mode.

Abstract: In a bookmaking apparatus, a sheet bundle applied with adhesive in the apparatus when conveyance trouble, i.e., a cover sheet paper jam, occurs, is not left in the apparatus. Furthermore, the apparatus does not leave a cover sheet in the apparatus to be soiled if adhesive from a heated sheet bundle drops. The apparatus includes a sheet holding device for holding a sheet bundle at a predetermined adhesive application position, an adhesive application device for applying adhesive to the sheet bundle at the adhesive application position, and a cover sheet conveyance device for conveying the cover sheet to a binding position arranged at a downstream side of the adhesive application position.

Abstract: A bookmaking apparatus joins sheets together to creating a booklet by securely and uniformly adhering a cover sheet to a backside edge of a sheet bundle. The apparatus includes a sheet support device for holding the sheet bundle in a substantially vertical posture, and an adhesive application device to apply adhesive to a bottom edge of the sheet bundle held by the sheet support device. The bookmaking apparatus further includes a first conveyance device for conveying at least one of the sheet support device and the adhesive application device in a direction relative to the bottom edge of the sheet bundle, and a second conveyance device for moving at least one of the sheet support device and the adhesive application device in a substantially vertical direction, in order to change a gap distance between the bottom edge of the sheet bundle and the adhesive application member.

Abstract: A sheet-sorting apparatus has a stacking tray to stack sheets formed with indicia thereupon, a processing tray to receive said sheets in the process leading to said stacking tray, and when necessary, a path to discharge directly to said stacking tray and a path to discharge said sheets to said stacking tray means via said processing tray means the paths being selectable, enabling a leading set of a plurality of sheets to be discharged directly the stacking tray and continuing to stack subsequent sheet sets in said processing tray through which process leading set of sheets and the subsequent set of sheets are sorted on the stacking tray.

Abstract: An offsetting discharging apparatus with aligning member or a sheet discharge apparatus is provided with a sheet discharge device for discharging sheets, a storage device for receiving the sheets discharged from the discharge device, and an alignment reference member for aligning at least one edge of the sheets discharged to the storage means. Furthermore, the sheet discharge apparatus includes rotating bodies (belt unit) that contacts the sheets while the sheets are discharged by the discharge device to move the sheets discharged to the storage device to the alignment reference member. The rotating bodies for alignment do not hinder a discharge operation of discharge rollers of the discharge device, thereby fully utilizing a capacity of a sheet storage tray.

Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus includes a discharge device for discharging a sheet, a storage device for receiving the sheet discharged from the discharge device, and an alignment reference member for aligning at least one side of the sheet discharged to the storage device. A rotating body is arranged to rotate in a direction different from a direction that the discharge device discharges the sheet. The rotating body contacts the sheet before the sheet discharged from the discharge device to the storage device is placed on the storage device so that the sheet discharged to the storage device is moved to the alignment reference member.

Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus includes a discharge device for discharging sheets, a storage device for receiving the sheets discharged by the discharge device, alignment reference members for aligning at least one side of the sheets discharged to the storage device, rotating bodies (belt unit) that contact the sheets at a predetermined position on the storage device to move the sheets to the alignment reference members, a support device for supporting the rotating bodies to move freely between an activating position that contacts the sheets at the predetermined position and a retracted position away from the sheets at the predetermined position, and a control device for controlling the support device to position the rotating bodies at the retracted position when the sheets reach the predetermined position before a trailing edge of the sheets in a discharge direction is discharged to the storage device by the discharge device.

Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus has a stacking tray for stacking sheets formed with indicia; a processing tray on the stacking tray for receiving sheets; a movable aligning plate on the processing tray that moves traverse to the direction of discharge of the sheets; with a plurality of aligning operations. The first aligning operation has a distance of L1 from the aligning position of the movable aligning plate to the first aligning operation starting position. The last aligning operation is a distance of L2 from the aligning position of the movable aligning plate to the final aligning operation starting position. L1>L2 for the last sheet of a plurality of sheets in a set. A first and second aligning operation are performed on each of a set of sheets. The distance from the aligning position in the second aligning operation to the aligning start position is L1, wherein L1>L2>L3.

Abstract: A sheet-sorting apparatus has a stacking tray to stack sheets formed with indicia thereupon, a processing tray to receive said sheets in the process leading to said stacking tray, and when necessary, a path to discharge directly to said stacking tray and a path to discharge said sheets to said stacking tray means via said processing tray means the paths being selectable, enabling a leading set of a plurality of sheets to be discharged directly the stacking tray and continuing to stack subsequent sheet sets in said processing tray through which process leading set of sheets and the subsequent set of sheets are sorted on the stacking tray.

Abstract: A sheet finishing apparatus has a stacking tray for stacking sheets formed with indicia, a processing tray established in the process to said stacking tray for receiving said sheets, a movable aligning plate established on said processing tray that moves traverse to the direction of discharge of said sheets. The system has a plurality of aligning operations. The first aligning operation has a distance of L1 from the aligning position of the movable aligning plate to the first aligning operation starting position. The last aligning operation a distance of L2 from the aligning position of the movable aligning plate to the final aligning operation starting position. The relationship between these distances is L1>L2 for the last sheet of a plurality of sheets in a set.

Abstract: A configuration controls the height and the inclination of a stacking tray according to the number of sheets discharged and controls the height and the inclination of a stacking tray when discharging sheets and when discharging sheet bundles to improve alignment of discharged sheets and the transporting characteristics. When discharging a sheet bundle, a stacking tray is lowered and when it reaches its home position, the aforementioned stacking tray is stopped. When discharging a sheet, the system determines whether it is the first sheet of a plurality of sheets in a bundle. For the first sheet, a timer is set to a predetermined time from raising to stopping the aforementioned stacking tray (using a pulse count value) and the aforementioned stacking tray is raised. After the set time is up, the stacking tray is stopped at a preset position.

Abstract: An apparatus prevents unwanted stop caused by erroneous detection of a sheet when the sheet bends during a sheet bundle alignment or stapling. The apparatus includes a control device for ignoring a sheet presence detection result by a sensor lever and a sheet presence sensor when aligning by a paddle and an alignment plate or binding by a staple unit.

Abstract: A sheet-sorting apparatus has a stacking tray to stack sheets formed with indicia thereupon, a processing tray to receive said sheets in the process leading to said stacking tray, and when necessary, a path to discharge directly to said stacking tray and a path to discharge said sheets to said stacking tray means via said processing tray means the paths being selectable, enabling a leading set of a plurality of sheets to be discharged directly the stacking tray and continuing to stack subsequent sheet sets in said processing tray through which process leading set of sheets and the subsequent set of sheets are sorted on the stacking tray.

Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus includes a discharge device for discharging sheets, a storage device for receiving the sheets discharged by the discharge device, alignment reference members for aligning at least one side of the sheets discharged to the storage device, rotating bodies (belt unit) that contact the sheets at a predetermined position on the storage device to move the sheets to the alignment reference members, a support device for supporting the rotating bodies to move freely between an activating position that contacts the sheets at the predetermined position and a retracted position away from the sheets at the predetermined position, and a control device for controlling the support device to position the rotating bodies at the retracted position when the sheets reach the predetermined position before a trailing edge of the sheets in a discharge direction is discharged to the storage device by the discharge device.

Abstract: A sheet discharge apparatus is provided with a sheet discharge device for discharging sheets, a storage device for receiving the sheets discharged from the discharge device, and an alignment reference member for aligning at least one edge of the sheets discharged to the storage means. Furthermore, the sheet discharge apparatus includes rotating bodies (belt unit) that contacts the sheets while the sheets are discharged by the discharge device to move the sheets discharged to the storage device to the alignment reference member. The sheet discharge apparatus includes the rotating bodies for alignment not so as to hinder a discharge operation of discharge rollers of the discharge device, thereby fully utilizing a capacity of a sheet storage tray.

Abstract: An apparatus prevents unwanted stop caused by erroneous detection of a sheet when the sheet bends during a sheet bundle alignment or stapling. The apparatus includes a control device for ignoring a sheet presence detection result by a sensor lever and a sheet presence sensor when aligning by a paddle and an alignment plate or binding by a staple unit.

Abstract: A configuration controls the height and the inclination of a stacking tray according to the number of sheets discharged and controls the height and the inclination of a stacking tray when discharging sheets and when discharging sheet bundles to improve alignment of discharged sheets and the transporting characteristics. When discharging a sheet bundle, a stacking tray is lowered and when it reaches its home position, the aforementioned stacking tray is stopped. When discharging a sheet, the system determines whether it is the first sheet of a plurality of sheets in a bundle. For the first sheet, a timer is set to a predetermined time from raising to stopping the aforementioned stacking tray (using a pulse count value) and the aforementioned stacking tray is raised. After the set time is up, the stacking tray is stopped at a preset position.