Bookbinding apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10807403-B2
Application number	US-201615769207-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 19, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Oct 20, 2020
Grant date	Oct 20, 2020

Abstract

A bookbinding apparatus includes a sheet aligning unit which stacks and aligns plural sheets having holes formed therein, a binding mechanism which binds the sheets aligned in the sheet aligning unit by conveying a binding component in an axial direction while rotating the binding component in a circumferential direction, a binding component storing unit which stores therein plural binding components; a binding component conveyance path which conveys the binding component from the binding component storing unit to the binding mechanism. The binding component conveyance path forms a curved conveyance path for conveying the binding component with being curved with respect to the axial direction to an end portion of a side of the aligned sheets at which the binding mechanism starts inserting the binding component, at a position that is distant from the end portion by a distance smaller than a length of one binding component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A bookbinding apparatus in combination with a plurality of binding components held, on a holding sheet, wherein the bookbinding apparatus is configured to bind sheets with the plurality of binding components by separating the binding components one by one from the holding sheet,
wherein the holding sheet has a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side from the first surface and holds the binding components, and
the bookbinding apparatus is configured to insert the binding components into a plurality of holes formed in the sheets,
the binding components each including a spirally wound wire rod having a plurality of circumference areas which are continuous with each other, the plurality of circumference areas together forming a total circumference area,
the circumference areas including a first part which is greater than a half of the total circumference area, wherein the first part protrudes from the first surface of the holding sheet as the holding sheet holds the binding components, the plurality of circumference areas further including a second part which is less than half of the total circumference area, wherein the second part protrudes from the second surface of the holding sheet as the holding sheet holds the binding components,
the bookbinding apparatus comprising:
a sheet conveyance path configured to convey the sheets;
a hole forming unit configured to form the plurality of holes at an end portion of the sheets to be conveyed on the sheet conveyance path;
a sheet aligning unit configured to stack and align sheets after having the plurality of holes formed therein in the hole forming unit;
a binding component storing unit configured to store therein the holding sheet holding the binding components;
a binding component separating unit configured to separate the binding components, one at a time, from the holding sheet stored in the binding component storing unit;
a coil feed unit configured to feed the binding components after being separated from the holding sheet by the binding component separating unit; and
a binding component rotation/insertion unit configured to insert the binding components into the plurality of holes formed in the sheets by conveying the binding components fed by the coil feed unit while rotating the binding components in a circumferential direction;
wherein the binding component separating unit includes a contact part configured to separate the binding components from the holding sheet by contacting the first part of each binding component protruding from the first surface of the holding sheet.

2. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the binding component storing unit stores the holding sheet such that the binding components are arranged in parallel, and the binding components are spaced from each other in a first direction, and
wherein the contact part comes into contact with the first part of one of the binding components which is at an end position with respect to the first direction.

3. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the contact part is a part of a holding sheet conveyance roller which sandwiches and conveys the holding sheet stored in the binding component storing unit.

4. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a binding component conveyance path which connects the coil feed unit and the binding component rotation/insertion unit,
wherein the binding component conveyance path includes a curved conveyance path for conveying one of the binding components in a curved state, with respect to an axial direction of said one of the binding components, toward a location at which the binding component rotation/insertion unit starts insertion of the binding component into the sheets, wherein an end of the curved conveyance path is spaced from said location by a distance smaller than a length of one binding component.

5. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 4 ,
wherein the curved conveyance path is configured so that a feed direction of the binding component fed from the coil feed unit toward the curved conveyance path and an introduction direction of the binding component into the binding component rotation/insertion unit are opposite to each other.

6. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the apparatus includes a plurality of the binding component storing units, and
wherein each of the binding component storing units is configured so that the holding sheet is independently detachable thereto.

7. The bookbinding apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the binding component storing unit is configured to store a plurality of the holding sheets, each holding the plurality of binding components.

8. A bookbinding apparatus in combination with a plurality of binding components held on a holding sheet, wherein the bookbinding apparatus is configured to bind sheets with the plurality of binding components by separating the binding components one by one from the holding sheet,
wherein the holding sheet has a first surface and a second surface on an opposite side from the first surface and holds the binding components, and
the bookbinding apparatus is configured to insert the binding components into a plurality of holes formed in the sheets,
the binding components each including a spirally wound wire rod having a plurality of circumference areas which are continuous with each other, the plurality of circumference areas together forming a total circumference area,
the circumference areas including a first part which is greater than half of the total circumference area, wherein the first part protrudes from the first surface of the holding sheet, as the holding sheet holds the binding components, the plurality of circumference areas further including a second part which is less than half of the total circumference area, wherein the second part protrudes from the second surface of the holding sheet, as the holding sheet holds the binding components,
the bookbinding apparatus comprising:
a sheet aligning unit configured to stack and align a plurality of sheets having a plurality of holes formed therein;
a binding component storing unit configured to store therein the holding sheet holding the plurality of binding components;
a binding component separating unit configured to separate the binding components, one at a time, from the holding sheet stored in the binding component storing unit;
a coil feed unit configured to feed the binding components separated by the binding component separating unit; and
a binding component rotation/insertion unit configured to insert the binding components into the plurality of holes formed in the sheets by conveying the binding components fed by the coil feed unit while rotating the binding components in a circumferential direction;
wherein the binding component separating unit includes a contact part configured to separate the binding components from the holding sheet by contacting the first part of each binding component protruding from the first surface of the holding sheet.

Assignees

• Max Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kishi Kazuhiko
• Igata Kazuya
• Hakozaki Katsuya

Classifications

• B65D73/0035

  the articles being retained within a recess or a series of recesses provided in a single card (B65D75/32 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B65H37/04

  for securing together articles or webs, e.g. by adhesive, stitching or stapling (adhering replacement to expiring web during change of web roll B65H19/18) · CPC title

• B42B5/123 Primary

  Devices for assembling the elements with the stack of sheets · CPC title

• B65D73/0042

  the articles being retained within a window, hole or other cut-out portion of a single card · CPC title

• B65D73/0028

  by means of adhesive, heat-seal or the like · CPC title