Image forming system, post-processing apparatus and binding device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12297065-B2
Application number	US-202318229629-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2023
Priority date	Aug 4, 2022
Publication date	May 13, 2025
Grant date	May 13, 2025

Abstract

An image forming system including an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet, a post-processing apparatus comprising a binding device configured to bind the sheet output from the image forming apparatus, and a control unit configured to control the binding device. The binding device is capable of executing binding processing via a staple forming process of forming a staple and moving the staple toward a striking-out position and a staple striking-out process of striking out the staple at the striking-out position. The control unit is configured to control the binding device to repeat multiple times the staple forming process without undergoing the staple striking-out process.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An image forming system comprising:
an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on a sheet;
a post-processing apparatus comprising a binding device configured to bind the sheet output from the image forming apparatus; and
a control unit configured to control the binding device,
wherein the binding device is capable of executing binding processing via a staple forming process of forming a staple and moving the staple toward a striking-out position and a staple striking-out process of striking out the staple at the striking-out position, and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the binding device to repeat multiple times the staple forming process without undergoing the staple striking-out process.

2. The image forming system according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to control the binding device so as to be able to switch:
a first mode in which the binding processing is executed via the staple forming process and the staple striking-out process, and
a second mode in which staple initial setting processing of repeating multiple times the staple forming process without undergoing the staple striking-out process is executed.

3. The image forming system according to claim 2 , wherein the binding device comprises: a staple forming unit configured to form a staple and moving the staple toward the striking-out position in the staple forming process, a staple striking-out unit configured to strike out the staple at the striking-out position in the staple striking-out process, and a displaceable actuation unit, the staple forming unit or the staple striking-out unit being configured to be actuated according to a displacement direction and a displacement amount of the actuation unit, and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the displacement direction and displacement amount of the actuation unit to switch a number of actuations of the staple forming unit and presence or absence of actuation of the staple striking-out unit.

4. The image forming system according to claim 3 , wherein the binding device comprises a plurality of the staple forming units, a plurality of the staple striking-out units, a plurality of the actuation units, and a single motor configured to drive the plurality of actuation units, and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the actuation unit via the motor.

5. A post-processing apparatus comprising:
a binding device configured to bind a sheet output from an image forming apparatus configured to form an image on the sheet; and
a control unit configured to control the binding device,
wherein the binding device is capable of executing binding processing via a staple forming process of forming a staple and moving the staple toward a striking-out position and a staple striking-out process of striking out the staple at the striking-out position, and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the binding device to repeat multiple times the staple forming process without undergoing the staple striking-out process.

6. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the binding device comprises: a staple forming unit configured to form a staple and moving the staple toward the striking-out position in the staple forming process, a staple striking-out unit configured to strike out the staple at the striking-out position in the staple striking-out process, and a displaceable actuation unit,
wherein the staple forming unit or the staple striking-out unit is configured to be actuated according to a displacement direction and a displacement amount of the actuation unit, and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the displacement direction and displacement amount of the actuation unit to switch a number of actuations of the staple forming unit and presence or absence of actuation of the staple striking-out unit.

7. The post-processing apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the binding device comprises a plurality of the staple forming units, a plurality of the staple striking-out units, a plurality of the actuation units, and a single motor configured to drive the plurality of actuation units, and
wherein the control unit is configured to control the actuation unit via the motor.

8. A binding device comprising:
a staple forming unit configured to form a staple and to move the staple toward a striking-out position;
a staple striking-out unit configured to strike out the staple at the striking-out position; and
a cam configured to actuate the staple forming unit and the staple striking-out unit,
wherein the cam has a first cam surface for actuating the staple forming unit and the staple striking-out unit, and a second cam surface for actuating the staple forming unit by bypassing all or part of actuation of the staple striking-out unit by the first cam surface.

9. The binding device according to claim 8 , wherein the first cam surface has a staple forming cam surface for actuating the staple forming unit, and a staple striking-out cam surface for actuating the staple striking-out unit, and
wherein the second cam surface has a staple forming cam surface for actuating the staple forming unit, and a staple striking-out regulation cam surface for bypassing part or all of the staple striking-out cam surface.

10. The binding device according to claim 9 , wherein the cam is a rotation-type cam configured to rotate with a shaft as a fulcrum and having the first and second cam surfaces formed in a circumferential direction,
wherein the staple forming cam surface is formed on one surface in an axial direction of the cam, and
wherein the staple striking-out cam surface and the staple striking-out regulation cam surface are formed on the other surface in the axial direction.

11. The binding device according to claim 10 , wherein the staple forming cam surface is formed in a region that partially or fully overlaps the staple striking-out cam surface and the staple striking-out regulation cam surface along a rotation direction of the cam.

12. The binding device according to claim 11 , wherein the staple striking-out unit comprises a driver follower in contact with the staple striking-out regulation cam surface, and
wherein the second cam surface comprises a regulation portion configured to regulate movement of the driver follower from the staple striking-out regulation cam surface toward the staple striking-out cam surface.

13. The binding device according to claim 8 , further comprising:
a plurality of the staple forming units each configured to form a staple and to move the staple toward a striking-out position;
a plurality of the staple striking-out units each configured to strike out the staple at the striking-out position;
a plurality of the cams configured to actuate the plurality of staple forming units and the plurality of staple striking-out units, and
a single motor configured to drive the cams.

Assignees

• Max Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kenjo Tatsuya

Classifications

• B65H2801/24

  Post -processing devices · CPC title

• B65H2801/03

  Image reproduction devices · CPC title

• B65H2403/51

  Cam mechanisms · CPC title

• B65H2301/51611

  involving at least a binding element traversing the handled material, e.g. staple · CPC title

• B65H2301/42212

  Extracting staple from stapled set of articles · CPC title