Performing Operation On Stacks (e.g., Binding, Cutting) Patents (Class 270/58.07)
  • Patent number: 8376344
    Abstract: A folded spine of a booklet held by a pair of opposing holding members is deformed by entering a pressing member into a gap between the pair of holding members and bringing the pressing member into pressure contact with the folded spine. In consequence, the folded spine is prevented from receiving an excessive pressing force, and a smooth surface with a width substantially equal to the thickness of the booklet is thus formed on the folded spine, whereby a booklet with a good appearance can be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Watanabe, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8376346
    Abstract: A method for producing stacks of printed sheets, including supplying the printed sheets along a conveyor, stacking the printed sheets along the stack support in an upright position, supporting the first stack via a supporting device, transferring the first stack from the supporting device to a compression device having first and second compression carriages, compressing the first stack between the first and second compression carriages, strapping the first stack, releasing and moving the first compression carriage towards a second stack subsequently formed, and transferring support for the second stack from the supporting device to the first compression carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventors: André Roth, Erwin Von Aesch
  • Patent number: 8366092
    Abstract: A booklet is produced. Selectively-printed sheets are cut to length, inner sheets being shorter, and stacked on a ramp set at an adjustable angle to a sheet support. This aligns the fold axes of all the sheets so they can be fastened and folded. Gravity is used to hold the sheets in place on the ramp and sheet support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: Brian J. Kwarta, Arun Chowdry
  • Publication number: 20130026695
    Abstract: A finisher is provided with a transport paddle and a control portion. The transport paddle freely moves to a first position where the transport paddle is on standby while protruding above a lower stack tray, a second position where the transport paddle sandwiches the sheet in between and, at the same time, is transported to abut the sheet against the abutment portion, and a third position where the transport paddle retracts in a finisher body 400. The control portion makes the transport paddle be on standby at the first position at least at the start of a job, moves the transport paddle between the first position and the second position for each discharge of the sheet by the bundle discharge roller pair, and moves the transport paddle to the third position after termination of the alignment processing for a last sheet of the job.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Naoto Tokuma
  • Patent number: 8363235
    Abstract: A document processing apparatus includes an acquisition unit, a detection unit, a specifying unit and an output unit. The acquisition unit acquires document data containing pieces of page image data corresponding to pages of documents. Each document is formed by stacking and half-folding sheets. The detection unit detects pieces of page image data corresponding to pages to be printed on a same side of a same sheet in the documents, from the page image data contained in the document data. The specifying unit specifies pieces of page image data corresponding to respective pages of each document, from the page image data contained in the document data based on a detection result. The output unit outputs data, which is based on pieces of page image data corresponding to respective pages of at least one of the documents, based on a specifying result.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tokuya Kameshima
  • Patent number: 8353506
    Abstract: The present utility model relates to an equipment for making an album core automatically, which comprises automatic feeding mechanisms for feeding an album paper and an interlayer, a creasing mechanism for creasing the middle of the album paper to form a crease, a folding mechanism for folding the album paper along the crease and a pasting mechanism for pasting the album or the interlayer by coating glue, wherein the automatic feeding mechanisms include an album paper feeding mechanism, an interlayer feeding mechanism and a control mechanism connected to the two feeding mechanisms. The equipment in the utility model has higher automaticity and can select the kinds of album papers freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Imetto Digital Imaging Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weijun Yuan, Xiaoqiang Zhang, Yiqiang Deng
  • Publication number: 20130009354
    Abstract: A recording medium processing apparatus includes: a first transportation route on which a recording medium is transported; a second transportation route branching from the first transportation route at a branch position; a transporting unit provided downstream of the branch position in a transport direction of the recording medium, the transporting unit (i) feeding at least a part of a first recording medium transported on the first transportation route and having passed through the branch position, into the second transportation route, (ii) transporting the fed first recording medium and a second recording medium with an overlap in the transport direction on the first transportation route to generate a bundle of the first and the second recording media and (iii) feeding the bundle which passed through the branch position into the second transportation route; and a punching unit provided on the second transportation route punching the fed bundle with one punching process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Masatoshi KIMURA
  • Patent number: 8346155
    Abstract: After a sheet has once passed through a punching position where punching processing is performed, a conveyance roller pair conveys the sheet backward to the punching position. A lateral registration detection sensor detects a side edge position of the sheet in a width direction. When a sheet processing apparatus corrects the side edge position of the sheet by controlling a shift unit configured to move the sheet in the width direction so as to correct the side edge position of the sheet, the sheet processing apparatus sets a shifting amount of the sheet to a value that is a predetermined amount greater than a shifting amount required to correct the side edge position of the sheet according to the side edge position of the sheet detected by the lateral registration detection sensor. After the sheet has passed through the die hole in the backward movement toward the punching position, the sheet processing apparatus sets the shifting amount to the required value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Toshiyuki Iwata
  • Patent number: 8342496
    Abstract: A printing system which is capable of performing square back processing and has a mechanism that makes it possible to prevent occurrence of a new trouble of inadvertently creating a saddle-stitched brochure defective in appearance and/or stackability, which is unexpected by an operator. A printing apparatus receives plural jobs including a saddle-stitch job for creating a saddle-stitched brochure of a predetermined kind. In the saddle-stitch job, saddle-stitch processing and square back processing are carried out. The square back processing is performed by a saddle-stitching machine. The saddle-stitching machine forms a flat surface on the back of a saddle-stitched brochure. A controller permits or inhibits creating the saddle-stitched brochure of the predetermined kind for a job based on whether the job meets a predetermined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Toda, Kiyoshi Tokashiki, Kazuhiko Ushiyama
  • Patent number: 8342499
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a support unit on which sheets, which each include first and second edge portions that differ from each other, are stacked together such that the first and second edge portions are aligned; a counter member disposed so as to face the first edge portions; a pressing member that presses the first edge portions against the counter member; a first binding unit that binds together the first edge portions by a first binding process, the first edge portion of each sheet being pressed against the counter member by the pressing member; and a second binding unit that binds together the second edge portions by a second binding process, the first edge portion of each sheet being pressed against the counter member by the pressing member, a bond formed by the second binding unit being more easily breakable than a bond formed by the first binding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Ryuuichi Shiraishi, Ryuichi Sato
  • Patent number: 8342497
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes: a holding portion which holds a booklet containing a two-folded sheet; and a pressing portion which presses a spine of a booklet into shapes during movement along the spine of the booklet held by the holding portion. The pressing portion can decrease, or release a pressing force to be applied to the booklet spine within a predetermined area of a moving range in which the pressing roller moves along the booklet spine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hideto Abe
  • Patent number: 8342498
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing apparatus is capable of neatly squaring a booklet spine without any damage such as a wrinkle on the spine, usable in an image forming apparatus. According to the sheet post-processing apparatus, a drive motor drives first and second pressing members. A circumferential velocity of the pressing member on a pressing surface pressed against the booklet spine is configured to be reverse to and greater than a moving velocity of a moving portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yuri Urano
  • Publication number: 20120319344
    Abstract: An improved sheet stacking scheme is described which is applied to a copying machine, a printer, or the like. Even when printed sheets are sorted and stacked in different stacking positions, sheet alignment is achieved by inhibiting each sheet from being displaced. When sheets are sorted into a first stacking position and a second stacking position, the finisher control unit 200 determines the common area Rc which is shared by the first stacking position and the second stacking position. Then, a finisher control unit 200 sets the positions of the pair of holding members for holding a tail edge in order to perform the tail edge holding motion in the positions F1 and F2 respectively which are located within the common area Rc and symmetrical about the center position Rcc of the common area Rc.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Inventor: Motoki NAKAMICHI
  • Patent number: 8333371
    Abstract: A creasing device includes: a first member on which a linear convex-edged blade is formed in a direction perpendicular to a sheet conveying direction; a second member on which a concave-edged blade pairing with the convex-edged blade is formed; and a drive unit that drives the first and second members to relatively come close to and away from each other, thereby making a crease on the sheet, wherein in a standby state, the drive unit keeps faces of the first member and second member not parallel; and in making a crease on the sheet, causes the convex-edged blade and the concave-edged blade to have point contact with each other via the sheet held therebetween so as to initiate a creasing movement by a rotation movement thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Naohiro Kikkawa, Hitoshi Hattori, Takashi Saito, Shuuya Nagasako, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Patent number: 8333372
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus that forms asperity on a sheet bundle, which includes plural sheets, so as to bind the sheet bundle, includes: a pair of rotating members having a concave and convex portions on the outer periphery; a moving portion that moves at least one of the pair of the rotating members so as to nip the sheet bundle by the pair of the rotating members or release the sheet bundle; and a controlling portion that controls the moving portion to allow the pair of rotating members to rotate with a concave portion of one rotating member and a convex portion of the other meshed with each other while nipping the sheet bundle or releasing the sheet bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tetsuro Awaya, Hiroshi Ota
  • Patent number: 8322701
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming unit that forms an image on a recording medium; a conveying unit that conveys the recording medium on which the image is formed; a crease forming unit that performs a crease forming process on the conveyed recording medium; a determining unit that determines whether or not the recording medium is a predetermined recording medium; and a control unit that prohibits the crease forming process from being performed by the crease forming unit when the determining unit determines that the recording medium is the predetermined recording medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Hitoshi Hattori, Shuuya Nagasako, Naohiro Kikkawa, Takashi Saito, Naoyuki Ishikawa, Yuusuke Shibasaki, Hidetoshi Kojima, Naoki Oikawa, Go Aiba
  • Patent number: 8317184
    Abstract: A printing apparatus has a sheet path and is adapted to produce print job sheets and dividing sheets. The apparatus includes a printing unit for printing the print job sheets. A first device in the sheet path downstream of the printing unit generates dividing sheets. The device includes a deforming unit with a stamp for punching and deforming a partial area of a dividing sheet so that a hook-shaped deformation is imparted in the dividing sheet. An output tray is arranged in the sheet path downstream of the first device and includes an inclined support for receiving the print job sheets and the dividing sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventor: Soenke Christian Bluethgen
  • Patent number: 8317181
    Abstract: A spine formation device includes a sheet conveyer to transport a bundle of folded sheets with the folded portion of the bundle forming a front end portion of the bundle, a clamping unit to clamp the bundle from both sides in a direction of thickness of the bundle, a spine forming member to flatten the folded portion of the bundle, disposed in that order in a sheet conveyance direction, and a controller that causes the sheet conveyer to transport the bundle of folded sheets to a first position downstream from an upstream end of the spine forming member in the sheet conveyance direction and to reverse the bundle a predetermined distance from the first position to a second position upstream from the first position in the sheet conveyance direction before the clamping unit clamps the bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Suzuki
  • Patent number: 8317182
    Abstract: A method is provided to control a paper-processing machine. Following an occurrence of at least one error, the error is automatically detected with at least one detection device. Following the detection of the error, a measure is automatically introduced to counteract the error. The measure is then canceled at least in part if the error no longer occurs or the machine is stopped completely if the error is still detected by the detection device following completion of a predetermined criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: Mueller Martini Holding AG
    Inventor: Thomas Probst
  • Patent number: 8308153
    Abstract: A transversal cutting equipment for sheets separable from overlapped continuous forms, wherein the forms are longitudinally divided from a basic continuous form for producing documents with a single sheet or more sheets, and wherein the documents and the respective sheets are printed according to a predetermined order. The equipment comprises a cutting device for joined separation of the sheets; an accumulating and forwarding device; transport paths; and differentiating means for modifying the transport times of the sheets along one or more transport paths. The cutting device operates in a continuous way, while the accumulating and forwarding device collects the sheet or sheets of a partially formed document and sends the sheet or sheets upon the completion of the document.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Tecnau S.r.l.
    Inventors: Giuliano De Marco, Armando Aprato, Francesco Terrusi, Alberto Massucco, Francesco Modica
  • Patent number: 8308154
    Abstract: A control method for an image forming system capable of preventing reduction of the ability of the system even if a shift transportation function becomes an abnormal condition. An image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet. A first sheet process apparatus has a first moving unit receiving the sheet on which the image is formed and moving the sheet in a width direction. In a determination step, it is determined whether a second sheet process apparatus having a second moving unit moving the sheet in the width direction is connected to an upstream side of the first sheet process apparatus. In a detection step, it is detected an abnormal condition of the first moving unit. In a sheet movement step, the second moving unit moves the sheet in the width direction if an abnormal condition is detected and the second sheet process apparatus is connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Manabu Yamauchi, Naoto Watanabe, Takayuki Fujii, Shunsuke Nishimura, Satoru Yamamoto, Yushi Oka, Takashi Yokoya, Hidenori Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 8302951
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a holding portion that nips and holds a booklet, which includes folded sheets, by a pair of holding members opposite to each other, and a pressing portion that enters a gap between the pair of holding members to press a spine of the booklet held by the holding portion while moving along the spine of the booklet so as to deform the spine of the booklet, wherein the pressing portion changes its moving direction along the spine of the booklet and changes the pressing position thereof in the thickness direction of the booklet held between the pair of holding members, when the pressing portion deforms the spine of the booklet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Watanabe, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8302950
    Abstract: A printing system includes a media storage module, a printing station for processing a portion of the receiving media, a receiving station for receiving the processed media, and a base member for supporting the printing system on a support surface. A receiving device is configured to receive a folding module for folding the processed receiving media. The receiving device is positioned substantially in a volume extending from the area defined by the cumulative normal projection of the media storage module and the printing station on the support surface, the volume extending perpendicular to the support surface in the direction of the printing station. A guiding device is configured to guide the processed media to one of the receiving station and the folding module. A method of modifying the printing system includes removing a media storage module to create a vacancy and inserting a folding module into the vacancy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: OCE-Technologies B.V.
    Inventors: Michiel A. C. Terhaag, Marco H. L. H. Kusters, Jeroen A. A. Van Assen
  • Publication number: 20120274015
    Abstract: A substrate finishing system includes a sheet input that feeds sheets to a compiler for compiling. The sheets may be stapled at the compiler. A trail edge support of the compiler is movable from a first position to a second position. The compiler is configured to drop a sheet or set of sheets to build compiled set stacks at the first and second positions on a stacking tray positioned beneath the compiler.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: XEROX CORPORATION
    Inventors: Carlos M. TERRERO, Richard J. Milillo, Brian J. Dunham
  • Patent number: 8297609
    Abstract: The present utility model relates to an equipment for making an album core automatically, which comprises automatic feeding mechanisms for feeding an album paper and an interlayer, a creasing mechanism for creasing the middle of the album paper to form a crease, a folding mechanism for folding the album paper along the crease and a pasting mechanism for pasting the album or the interlayer by coating glue, wherein the automatic feeding mechanisms include an album paper feeding mechanism, an interlayer feeding mechanism and a control mechanism connected to the two feeding mechanisms. The equipment in the utility model has higher automaticity and can select the kinds of album papers freely.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Imetto Digital Imaging Technology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Weijun Yuan, Xiaoqiang Zhang, Yiqiang Deng
  • Patent number: 8291798
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing small, thin sheets from an active-ingredient film (2), in which the latter is produced by casting the film material onto a substrate material or by coating a substrate material, storing it with or without substrate material on a reel, pulling it off the reel and cutting it. It achieves the object of designing a method of this type in such a way that with this method small sheets can be produced as exactly as possible in predetermined sizes. To do this, the active-ingredient film (2) is pulled off automatically, is separated from a substrate material which, if present, and in tensioned form, is fed to a cutting station and is cut, in the feed direction, into long, narrow strips (7) of predeterminable width, and the long strips (7) are brought together in the feed direction and together are fed by a further feed device (10) to a transverse cutter (11), which cuts through the combined long strips (7) at predetermined intervals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: LTS Lohmann Therapie-Systeme AG
    Inventors: Wolfgang Schäfer, Ronald Hackbarth, Detlev Neuland
  • Patent number: 8292284
    Abstract: A printing system which is capable of performing square back processing and preventing occurrence of a new trouble of inadvertently creating a saddle-stitched brochure defective in the appearance of a trimmed edge and/or print appearance, which is unexpected by an operator. A receiving unit receives a job of a first type for creating a saddle-stitched brochure subjected to square back processing and trimming processing or a second type creating a saddle-stitched brochure not subjected to the square back processing but subjected to the trimming processing. A controller controls a trimming position at an end of the sheet bundle for the job and/or an image printing position on a sheet included in the sheet bundle based on whether a job to be processed is of the first type or of the second type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayuki Toda, Kiyoshi Tokashiki, Kazuhiko Ushiyama
  • Patent number: 8292283
    Abstract: To provide a post-processing apparatus for enabling a bunch of sheets and a single sheet to be folded in simplified structure, and further enabling the folded sheet and sheets that are not folded to be mixed and bound, the post-processing apparatus has a processing tray to collate and collect sheets to perform binding processing, and a folding processing path having a folding processing section, and a folded sheet carrying-out path for carrying out a folded sheet is provided on the downstream side of the folding processing path. Then, the folded sheet carrying-out path is comprised of a circulating path for guiding the folded sheet again to the folding processing section, a post-processing path for guiding the folded sheet to the processing tray to perform post-processing, and a sheet discharge path for guiding the folded sheet to a storage stacker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Kenichi Matsuno, Satoru Matsuki, Komei Mohara, Hidetoshi Kinoshita, Yoshio Kobayashi, Yuichi Kubota, Koji Kurakano, Mamoru Kubo
  • Publication number: 20120261872
    Abstract: According to the present invention, a stacking face (84) is inclined such that a downstream side in a sheet discharging direction is lower, and is composed of a first supporting face (84a) supporting a sheet to be stacked at its front end part in a sheet discharging direction and a second supporting face (84b) supporting the sheet to be stacked at its rear end part in the sheet discharging direction. The first supporting face (84a) is structured to be shorter than ½ of a minimum size length of the sheet to be stacked, and this is provided rotatably upward around a rotating shaft (85x) furnished to a registration part (85r) of regulating the front ends of the sheets. The first supporting face (84a) raises the front ends of the sheets to be discharged by rotation of the registration part (85r).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: NISCA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Toshiaki KAGAMI, Shinichi ITO, Mizuho SHIRAKURA
  • Patent number: 8286958
    Abstract: An spine formation device includes a sheet conveyer that conveys the bundle of folded sheets in a sheet conveyance direction with a folded portion of the bundle forming front end portion thereof, first and second sandwiching units disposed downstream from the sheet conveyer, a contact member disposed downstream from the second sandwiching unit, against which the folded portion of a bundle of folded sheets is pressed, and a controller. The controller stops the sheet conveyer after the bundle is transported a predetermined distance from a contact position between the contact member and the folded portion of the bundle, causing the bundle to bulge, and causes the first and second sandwiching units to squeeze the bulging of the bundle of folded sheets in a thickness direction sequentially with the folded portion of the bundle pressed against the contact member to form a spine of the bundle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shinji Asami, Naohiro Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 8282091
    Abstract: A spine formation device includes a sheet conveyer, a clamping unit disposed downstream from the sheet conveyer in a sheet conveyance direction, for squeezing a folded portion of a bundle of folded sheets, a contact member against which the folded portion of the bundle is pressed, disposed downstream from the clamping unit, and a controller to cause the bundle of folded sheets to bulge by stopping the sheet conveyer after the bundle of folded sheets is transported a predetermined conveyance distance from a contact position between the contact member and the folded portion of the bundle and to cause the clamping unit to squeeze a bulging portion of the bundle created between the sheet conveyer and the contact member with the folded portion pressed against the contact member. The predetermined distance is set in accordance with a predetermined sheet-related variable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Furuhashi, Shinji Asami, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Naohiro Kikkawa, Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Kiichiroh Gotoh
  • Patent number: 8276900
    Abstract: A folded spine of a booklet held by a pair of opposing holding members is deformed by entering a pressing member into a gap between the pair of holding members and bringing the pressing member into pressure contact with the folded spine. In consequence, the folded spine is prevented from receiving an excessive pressing force, and a smooth surface with a width substantially equal to the thickness of the booklet is thus formed on the folded spine, whereby a booklet with a good appearance can be made.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Watanabe, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8272632
    Abstract: In a bookbinding apparatus, an adhesive applying portion applies an adhesive to an end face of a sheet bundle allowed to stand in the substantially vertical direction, a storage portion that gathers and stores the sheet bundle which is applied with the adhesive and bound in the adhesive applying portion while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction, transport means for conveying the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction from the adhesive applying portion to the storage portion along a substantially vertical transport path, and a cutting portion which is provided on the transport path between the adhesive applying portion and the storage portion, and which cuts an end face of the sheet bundle while letting the sheet bundle stand in the substantially vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2012
    Assignees: Canon Finetech Inc., Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroki Honmochi, Masayoshi Kubo, Toshiaki Nochi, Ken Yonekawa, Yuji Ueno, Keiichi Nagasawa, Hiroshi Nakagomi
  • Patent number: 8262073
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a pushing member, a drive device, a first conveyance unit, a second conveyance unit provided on a downstream side of the first conveyance unit, a first detection unit, a second detection unit, and a control unit. The drive device moves the pushing member to push a portion of a sheet bundle to fold the sheet bundle. The first conveyance unit uses a roller pair to convey the folded sheet bundle folded. The second conveyance unit conveys the sheet bundle. The first detection unit detects an amount by which the pushing member is moved by the drive device. The second detection unit detects an amount by which the sheet bundle is conveyed by the first conveyance unit. The control unit separates the roller pair based on the amounts detected by the first and second detection units.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hitoshi Kato, Naoki Ishikawa, Yasuo Fukatsu, Tomoharu Sato
  • Patent number: 8256756
    Abstract: A printing system includes a processing unit configured to cause a sheet processing unit to execute a sheet processing including a folding processing and a trimming processing on a printed sheet by executing a job, a determining unit configured to determine whether a fold line of a sheet folded by the folding processing is cut out by the trimming processing, and a control unit configured to perform controlling such that the fold line of the sheet folded by the folding processing is not cut out by the trimming processing if the determining unit determines that the fold line of the sheet folded by the folding processing is cutout by the trimming processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yutaka Myoki
  • Patent number: 8256758
    Abstract: A bookbinding system that includes: a center folding unit configured to perform center folding on an integrated sheet bundle; an additionally folding unit configured to additionally perform folding of a folded portion of the center-folded sheet bundle; a back surface forming unit configured to form a back surface on the sheet bundle by pressing a front end of the folded portion of the center-folded sheet bundle and both surfaces of the sheet bundle; and a control unit configured to change the content of additionally folding according to whether to perform the back surface forming or not.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Limited
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Kobayashi, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Shinji Asami, Naohiro Kikkawa, Tomohiro Furuhashi, Kiichiroh Gotoh
  • Patent number: 8251359
    Abstract: A spine formation device includes a sheet conveyer to convey a bundle of folded sheets with a folded portion of the bundle forming a front end of the bundle, a clamping unit disposed downstream from the sheet conveyer in a sheet conveyance direction for squeezing a folded portion of the bundle in a direction of thickness of the bundle, a contact member against which the folded portion of the bundle is pressed, disposed downstream from the clamping unit, an elevation unit to move the contact member vertically, and a controller. The clamping unit includes multiple pressure rollers arranged in a single line along the folded portion of the bundle, a planar clamping member disposed facing the multiple pressure rollers vertically, to press the bundle against the multiple pressure rollers, and a unit to move the pressure rollers and the clamping member close and away from each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Nobuyoshi Suzuki
  • Publication number: 20120211934
    Abstract: A sheet post-processing device includes: a temporary holding unit temporarily holding a sheet supplied by an image forming apparatus; and a shifting unit performing a shifting operation on a sheet bundle, the sheet bundle including two or more sheet, wherein an extra sheet not included in the sheet bundle is supplied to the shifting unit without temporarily holding the extra sheet in the temporary holding unit or by shortening a holding duration time in the temporary holding unit; and when the shifting operation is not completed on a sheet in queue immediately before the extra sheet when the extra sheet is received, the shifting unit is set to a waiting condition until the extra sheet is supplied to the shifting unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventor: Takashi KOTANI
  • Patent number: 8246034
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a sheet processing apparatus includes: a processing tray on which a sheet conveyed from an image forming apparatus is placed; a lateral alignment unit which has a pair of movable alignment boards, holds and the sheet on the processing tray between the pair of alignment boards, and aligns the sheet; a stapler which staples the sheet placed on the processing tray; a sheet discharge unit which discharges the stapled sheet from the processing tray to a discharge port; and a control unit which control so that the sheet is stapled after an operation of holding the sheet between the pair of alignment boards and then opening the alignment boards is performed plural times, when the sheet is inserted to the stapler from the discharge port and manually stapled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Katsuhiko Tsuchiya
  • Patent number: 8246033
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image forming unit that forms images on sheets; a sheet compiling unit that compiles the sheets on which the image forming unit has formed the images into a sheet stack; a first binding unit that binds a first end portion of the sheet stack by performing a first binding process; a second binding unit that binds a second end portion of the sheet stack by performing a second binding process, the second end portion being different from the first end portion; and an image rotation unit that rotates an orientation of each of the images in accordance with whether the sheet stack is to be bound by using the first binding unit or the second binding unit, the images being formed on the sheets of the sheet stack by the image forming unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Ryuichi Sato
  • Publication number: 20120205854
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a laterally moveable post-processing module moveable from a predetermined operating position to a predetermined lateral delivery position and a control unit. The control unit is configured to operate the post-processing module such that a lateral delivery position for a set of at least one sheet is determined, the post-processing module is moved to the operating position, the post-processing module is operable to subsequently engage the set of at least one sheet to obtain a processed set of at least one sheet, then move the post-processing module from the operating position to the delivery position in coupling engagement with the processed set of at least one sheet, to move the processed set of at least one sheet to the lateral delivery position and disengage the post-processing module to deliver the processed set of at least one sheet at the lateral delivery position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 10, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Inventor: Johannes H.A. DINNISSEN
  • Patent number: 8240654
    Abstract: An spine formation device includes a sheet conveyer to transport a bundle of folded sheets with a folded portion of the bundle of folded sheets forming a front end portion, a sandwiching member to sandwich and squeeze the bundle of folded sheets in a direction of thickness of the bundle of folded sheets, and a spine formation unit disposed downstream from the sandwiching member in the sheet conveyance direction, to flatten the folded portion of the bundle of folded sheets held by the sandwiching member. The spine formation unit presses the folded portion of the bundle of folded sheets projecting a predetermined length from the sandwiching member in the sheet conveyance direction in a reverse direction of the sheet conveyance direction while moving in a direction perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the folded portion of the bundle of folded sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shinji Asami, Nobuyoshi Suzuki, Naohiro Kikkawa
  • Patent number: 8243324
    Abstract: When a user sets, from a user interface window using a bookbinding application, instructions of dividing a document into a plurality of parts and stapling each part of the document, a printer driver generates one job in which the staple attribute of a binder corresponding to each part is set to “ON” or “OFF”, and issues the job for a printer. With this operation, the user can perform staple designation to an arbitrary part of the document, and can realize a plurality of staple processes in one print job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Koji Nakagiri
  • Patent number: 8235371
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, there is provided a sheet finishing apparatus including a folding roller that nips the middle of bundle of sheets and forms a fold line, a fold reinforcing roller that reinforces the fold line by moving along the fold line while applying a pressure to the fold line, a stack tray that stacks the bundle and a control unit that sets the number of times of fold reinforcing performed by the fold reinforcing roller as a first number when it is determined that a quantity of stacked bundle on the stack tray is less than a predetermined standard quantity which is set to be less than a maximum stack quantity and sets the number of times of the fold reinforcing as a second number greater than the first number when it is determined that a quantity of the stacked bundle is greater than the predetermined standard quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taguchi, Katsuya Sasahara, Shinichiro Mano
  • Patent number: 8233175
    Abstract: Reprographic or imaging systems and methods issue a command to place multiple finishing devices into an alternating delivery mode such that consecutive sets are sent to different finishing devices, rather than to the same finishing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Paul N. Richards, Wilbert D. Douglas, Richard Fischer, Donald Ryan, Carol-Lynn Goldstein, Jeff Gramowski, Mehmet Gungor, Douglas F. Sundquist, Diego Pereda, Jose Soler
  • Patent number: 8231120
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a holding portion that nips and holds a booklet, which includes folded sheets, by a pair of holding members opposite to each other; and a pressing portion that enters a gap between the pair of holding members, wherein the pressing portion presses the spine of the held booklet so as to deform the spine of the booklet; wherein the pressing portion has plurality of pressing members, each having a different thickness in the thickness direction of the booklet, and the pressing member capable of entering the gap between the pair of holding members, and having the thickness closest to the thickness of the booklet which is nipped and held by the pair of holding members is selected among the plurality of pressing members so as to perform the deforming process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Hayashi, Kiyoshi Watanabe
  • Patent number: 8226078
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a holding portion that holds a booklet, which includes folded sheets, by a pair of holding members, a pressing portion having a first pressing member, which is brought into contact with a spine of a booklet held by the holding portion so as to perform a deforming process to the spine, and a second pressing member having a thickness, in the thickness direction of the booklet, greater than that of the first pressing member, a moving portion that moves the pressing member along the spine, and a controlling portion that changes the first pressing member to the second pressing member, and increases a deformation amount from the spine before the deformation to a pressing position in the pressing direction where the second pressing member presses the spine, when the thickness of the booklet held by the holding portion exceeds a predetermined thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kiyoshi Watanabe, Kenichi Hayashi
  • Patent number: 8226080
    Abstract: To provide a sheet post-processing apparatus enabling a sheet to be aligned in a predetermined collection position irrespective of the basis weight of the sheet and image formation surface in dropping and collecting the sheet onto a tray from a sheet discharge outlet, the apparatus has a tray for collecting a sheet from the sheet discharge outlet, and a sheet discharge rotating body for transferring the sheet that is carried out to the tray toward a sheet end regulation member, and is configured to be able to adjust the timing of shifting the sheet discharge rotating body to an operation position engaging in the sheet from a withdrawal position above the tray corresponding to image formation conditions of the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Nisca Corporation
    Inventors: Ryo Morita, Takeharu Takusagawa, Toshikazu Tanaka, Hiroshi Mukoyama, Kazuhito Shimura, Eiji Fukasawa
  • Patent number: 8226077
    Abstract: There is provided a technique in which a retracting operation of a bundle of sheets from a stapler after a staple process can be stably performed irrespective of the number of sheets constituting the bundle of sheets or the transport resistance. When the bundle of sheets subjected to the staple process is moved by a stacker in a direction of retracting from the stapler, an alignment roller is caused to come in contact with the bundle of sheets held by the stacker and to assist the movement of the bundle of sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Chiaki Iizuka, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Shinichiro Mano
  • Patent number: 8223378
    Abstract: A printing system capable of increasing the working efficiency of an operator engaged in a post-process necessary after printing can be provided. For this purpose, the user interface unit can execute a display which allows the operator to explicitly input, for each job, instruction information in consideration of a post-process necessary after a printing process in a job requiring a printing process by a printing apparatus in a printing system capable of stacking, on a stacking unit, printed materials having undergone the printing process. When the job to be processed is a job for which the operator inputs the instruction information via the display, printed materials of the job for which the operator inputs the instruction information are stacked on the stacking unit while the printed materials are classified every printed materials on the basis of the instruction information input by the operator for the job.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hideyuki Okada, Kazuhiko Ushiyama