Post-processing apparatus, image forming apparatus incorporating the same, and image forming system incorporating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10926970-B2
Application number	US-201916668689-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2019
Priority date	Nov 30, 2018
Publication date	Feb 23, 2021
Grant date	Feb 23, 2021

Abstract

A post-processing apparatus includes a binding tool configured to bind a sheet bundle, a binding tool driver, and control circuitry. The binding tool driver is configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool to a first binding position at which the binding tool executes a first binding process on the sheet bundle and a second binding position different from the first binding position. At the second binding position, the binding tool executes a second binding process on the sheet bundle. The control circuitry is configured to cause the binding tool driver to move the binding tool to the first binding position at a first movement speed to execute the first binding process, and move the binding tool from the first binding position to the second binding position at a second movement speed slower than the first movement speed to execute the second binding process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A post-processing apparatus comprising:
a binding tool configured to bind a sheet bundle;
a binding tool driver configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool to a first binding position at which the binding tool executes a first binding process on the sheet bundle and a second binding position different from the first binding position and at which the binding tool executes a second binding process on the sheet bundle; and
control circuitry configured to cause the binding tool driver to:
move the binding tool to the first binding position at a first movement speed to execute the first binding process, and
move the binding tool from the first binding position to the second binding position at a second movement speed slower than the first movement speed to execute the second binding process.

2. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the binding tool driver includes a driver configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool to at least one of the first binding position and the second binding position, and
wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the driver to move at the second movement speed slower than the first movement speed.

3. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the binding tool driver includes a first driver configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool to the first binding position and a second driver configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool to the second binding position and a driving force by which the binding tool executes the first binding process and the second binding process, and
wherein the control circuitry is configured to:
cause the first driver to move the binding tool to the first binding position,
cause the second driver to apply a first driving force to the binding tool to execute the first binding process,
after the first binding process, cause the second driver to apply a second driving force smaller than the first driving force to the binding tool and move the binding tool from the first binding position to the second binding position, and
cause the second driver to apply the first driving force to the binding tool to execute the second binding process.

4. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to cause the second driver to temporarily stop applying the second driving force after the binding tool moves to the second binding position.

5. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 3 ,
wherein the first driver and the second driver are electric motors, and
wherein the control circuitry is configured to control rotational speeds of the electric motors to adjust the first driving force and the second driving force.

6. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 1 ,
wherein the control circuitry is configured to control the binding tool driver based on a number of sheets of recording media in the sheet bundle.

7. An image forming apparatus comprising:
an image forming section configured to form images on sheets of recording media;
a conveyance unit configured to convey the sheets of recording media on which images are formed in the image forming section; and
the post-processing apparatus according to claim 1 , the post-processing apparatus configured to stack, align, and bind the sheets of recording media conveyed by the conveyance unit.

8. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus configured to form images on sheets of recording media; and
the post-processing apparatus according to claim 1 , the post-processing apparatus configured to bind a sheet bundle including a plurality of sheets of recording media on which images are formed by the image forming apparatus.

9. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus configured to form images on sheets of recording media;
a post-processing apparatus including:
a binding tool configured to bind a sheet bundle including the sheets of recording media; and
a binding tool driver configured to apply a driving force to move the binding tool to a first binding position at which the binding tool executes a first binding process on the sheet bundle and a second binding position at which the binding tool executes a second binding process on the sheet bundle; and

control circuitry in at least one of the image forming apparatus and the post-processing apparatus,
the control circuitry configured to cause the binding tool driver to:
move the binding tool to the first binding position at a first movement speed to execute the first binding process; and
move the binding tool from the first binding position to the second binding position at a second movement speed slower than the first movement speed to execute the second binding process.

Assignees

• Ricoh Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tanoue Shinji
• Yamaguchi Katsuji
• Iwata Akikazu
• Sawada Ken

Classifications

• B42B5/00

  Permanently attaching together sheets, quires or signatures otherwise than by stitching (by deformation thereof B31F; by adhesive peculiar to bookbinding B42C9/00) · CPC title

• B31F2201/0771

  Other aspects of the embossing operations · CPC title

• B42C1/12

  Machines for both collating or gathering and permanently attaching together the sheets or signatures · CPC title

• B31F2201/07

  Embossing · CPC title

• B65H2301/51616

  involving simultaneous deformation of parts of the material to be bound · CPC title